We have pleasure in reporting that an attack on the right of conscientious objection to abortion by medical personnel was roundly defeated this evening in the Council of Europe.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted on a report, the original text of which recommended a crack-down on medical personnel who refuse to be complicit in the provision of abortion and other unethical procedures.
Senator Ronan Mullen from Ireland and Luca Volonte of Italy, led the counter attack in the assembly by proposing amendments which totally reversed the effects of the report, from a pro-abortion attack on conscientious objection to a defence of conscientious objection.
The pro-life amendments were duly accepted and Christine McCafferty, the report's British author together with her fellow pro-abortion assembly-members were therefore forced to vote against their own report.
Anthony Ozimic, communications manager of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), commented: "This evening witnessed an incredible victory for the right of staff in medical institutions to refuse to be complicit in the killing of unborn children and other unethical practices. "SPUC is immensely grateful to the large number of our supporters who lobbied the assembly in recent months, as well as to Senator Mullen, Mr Volonte and the assembly-members who supported them", concluded Mr Ozimic.
We at European Life Network echo Anthony Ozimic's comments and add that this was a real example of all european pro-life groups co-operating successfully to defeat the anti life agenda
In the debate Senator Mullen pointed out that:
the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the rights of unborn child;
there is no human right to abortion, whereas conscientious objection is a basic principle of human rights;
