An NGO staunchly opposed to changes to IVF laws has written to the deputy Prime Minister, undeterred by the government’s eagerness to pass amendments which would extend embryo freezing.

In a letter to Chris Fearne, Life Network Chairperson Miriam Sciberras argued that the Attorney General’s suggestion that objectors could contest the amendments' legality in constitutional court once they were approved by parliament was fallacious.

“Legislators should in no way take, or appear to take the approach,  that they can first implement [laws] and then see what happens later,” Dr Sciberras wrote.

"Constitutional procedures take years to run their course, and those years will cost many lives. This law will leave many repercussions, and place the life of many embryos in danger.”

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Dr Sciberras cited chapter 4 of Malta’s Constitution, which protects the right to life, and chapter 319 of Malta’s laws which makes it a crime to deprive anyone of their right to life.

While noting that neither of those expressly defined at what stage life started to be protected at, Dr Sciberras cited case law in which the court had ruled that an unborn child had rights and had even issued a prohibitory injunction blocking the deportation of the unborn child’s mother.

Furthermore, she noted, abortion was a crime and argued that since abortion was not defined, “this therefore means that life is protected from conception.”   

Correction 5.30pm: Dr Sciberras addressed her letter to Malta's deputy Prime Minister,  not Prime Minister as originally stated.

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