Amnesty's position on abortion

The Catholic Church and Amnesty International have always had very good relations. The emphasis, unfortunately, is on the word "had" as things are changing following Amnesty's position in favour of abortion in certain cases.

Amnesty is not promoting abortion as a universal right and the organisation remains silent on the rights or wrongs of abortion. However, the group for the first time has taken a position in favour of "the decriminalisation of abortion, to ensure women have access to healthcare when complications arise from abortion and to defend women's access to abortion - within reasonable gestational limits - when their health or life are in danger".

Amnesty explained the policy shift by referring to the widespread use of rape as a means of intimidation, particularly in the Darfur conflict. But it seems that the initial justification due to the Darfur tragedy - a limited (although wrong) position - was somewhat expanded.

A statement by the group reads: "Amnesty International finds it unacceptable for women to be imprisoned for seeking or obtaining an abortion, or for women to be denied access to abortion services."

There was a strong reaction by many Christian groups, especially the Catholic Church. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, chastised the group for supporting legalised abortion.

While condemning violence against women, he said abortion compounds the problem by introducing violence against the innocent unborn child. "Violence cannot be answered by further violence, murder by murder, because the unborn child is also a human person."

"Even the life that is the result of violence should be saved," the cardinal said in an interview with Vatican Radio a few days ago, "even though they are persons in gestation, they are persons, they are human subjects, with all the dignity of a human being."

In June, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, scolded Amnesty for a "pro-abortion about-turn" and encouraged Catholic donors to reconsider their support for the group. Episcopal conferences in several countries soon joined in a campaign to reverse Amnesty's policy change.

Representatives of Amnesty International, however, held firmly to their position that legal abortion is an appropriate remedy for a "pandemic of violence against women".

It would be interesting to know the position taken by Amnesty Malta during this debate.