Updated 7.02pm 

Pro-euthanasia lobbyists are being permitted access to vulnerable patients in order to promote their cause, a lawyer alleged today.

Human rights specialist Tonio Azzopardi filed a judicial protest alleging abuse in local hospital wards. The protest was filed in the First Hall, Civil Court against the permanent secretary within the Health Ministry.

Dr Azzopardi informed the court that certain individuals are being allowed to approach patients who are seriously ill, in pain and in a fragile state of mind, at a time when hope of survival is all but lost.

Lobbyists were allegedly asking patients to sign a petition in favour of the introduction of euthanasia in Malta.

Such behaviour runs counter to the patients' right to life as safeguarded under article 2 of the European Convention and amounts to complicity in the act of terminating one's life, the lawyer argued.

Dr Azzopardi called upon the hospital authorities to intervene so as to put an end to this allegedly abusive behaviour.

'Nothing but coercion' - Gift of Life

In a statement, lobby group Gift of Life said that was "deeply disturbed" by the claims and asked whether they could be "some form of collusion" between pro-euthanasia lobbyists and authorities.

The group argued that the claims, "if confirmed", would be proof of the dangers of euthanasia. 

It called on the government to launch an independent investigation into the claims.