2023-06-01 20:33:16
A woman is being prosecuted in Malta for having an abortion, an NGO announced on Thursday, a rare case of application of the total ban on practicing abortion on the Mediterranean island.
“What should never have happened happened today: a Maltese woman was brought to justice for having a medical abortion at home,” the Women’s Rights Foundation said on social media.
The NGO says it has legally helped this woman, who remained anonymous and who was granted conditional release, without further details. Although she was treated with dignity and respect, “this should never have happened”, regretted the NGO.
“A woman should never be prosecuted for terminating her pregnancy. Decriminalize abortion immediately! called Doctors for Choice Malta in a post on Facebook.
Malta, with a Catholic majority, is the only country in the European Union to completely ban abortion.
The island’s parliament is currently debating a bill that would relax the ban by allowing abortion if the life or health of the mother is seriously threatened.
The Church and the main opposition party are firmly opposed to this project, but part of public opinion seems to support it, especially young people.
“Access to safe abortion is recognized worldwide as (…) a fundamental right. That women are being prosecuted for this here should put us all to shame,” the Women’s Rights Foundation said Thursday.
Under the current ban, any medical professional performing an abortion would be breaking the law, although no doctor has so far been prosecuted for it according to media reports.
Prime Minister Robert Abela’s government said its proposed law change was not “abortion reform”, but wanted to allow health professionals to do their job without fear.
In May 2021, the Times of Malta daily reported that no one had faced criminal charges for having an abortion or helping to terminate a pregnancy in Malta in the last five years.
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