05/12/2022 (Agence Europe) – Reacting to the Maltese Parliament’s consideration of the bill allowing abortion when a woman’s life or health is at risk, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, said that this was “a first imperative step to protect women’s rights”. “Further measures must follow to fully guarantee women’s access to safe and legal abortion care”, she added. Triggered by a petition from 135 Maltese doctors reacting to the case of an American tourist who had to be evacuated to Spain after a miscarriage, the bill will not prevent Maltese law from remaining the most restrictive in Europe. Abortion will continue to be illegal, including in cases of severe foetal malformation or pregnancies resulting from rape. (VL)