Malta: Thousands of people demonstrate against relaxing the abortion ban

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Demonstration in Malta's capital Valletta against an easing of the strict ban on abortion

Photo: DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / REUTERS

Thousands of people protested against changes to the strict abortion ban in Malta on Sunday.

The country's top Catholic bishop and the leader of the conservative opposition also took part in the largest demonstration on the archipelago in years.

Some of the demonstrators gathered around a larger-than-life picture of a newborn that was spread out on the steps in front of the prime minister's seat, the Times of Malta reports.

Traditionally Catholic, Malta is the only member of the European Union to outlaw abortion.

This applies even if a woman's life or health is endangered by the pregnancy.

Dramatic incident with pregnant US tourist

Health Secretary Chris Fearne recently tabled a motion in Parliament that would remove the punishment for doctors of up to four years in prison for helping women with serious health problems end a pregnancy.

So far, however, no doctor has been prosecuted for such an allegation in Malta.

The move goes back to a dramatic incident: in June, a pregnant US tourist in Malta suffered severe bleeding.

The doctors treating her said the woman's life was in danger.

However, she had been denied termination of a non-viable pregnancy.

She was then transferred to Spain where an abortion was performed.

The woman later sued the government of Malta, asking the courts to declare that the ban on abortion violated human rights.

Malta's powerful Catholic Church, the centre-right opposition and some non-governmental organizations have opposed the proposed change, saying it paves the way for full liberalization of abortion.

The government of Prime Minister Robert Abela has a comfortable majority in parliament and is also agreed within the party on the proposed changes.

However, surveys show that a large majority of the population in Malta is against abortion, including older people in particular.

kfr/Reuters