Croatian Anti-Abortionists Criticised for Hospital 'Prayer Rallies'

Pro-choice politicians and activists have criticised anti-abortionists for their tactic of gathering to pray outside hospitals across the country to discourage women seeking terminations.

Marinella Matejcic from Platform for Reproductive Rights told BIRN on Wednesday that the recently-launched '40 Days of Life' campaign by anti-abortion activists is intended to increase the stigmatisation of abortion, which is legal under Croatian law.

"Women who decide to end their pregnancy have their reasons that are always valid and it is worrying that the people praying are struggling to pursue a political campaign against the women of this country, near its hospitals," she said.

Matejcic argued that it is "unnecessary and damaging" for anti-abortionists to try to influence a woman's right to abortion. 

The '40 Days of Life' campaign is being held from September 26 to November 4 in 29 Croatian cities.

The initiative, which is part of a worldwide network, brings together anti-abortion Christians who meet in front of health centres and pray to stop terminations.

Croatia's Constitutional Court has ordered lawmakers to update the country's 1978 abortion law by February.

Pro-choice activists fear that while Croatia's parliament may stop short of an all-out ban, the measures it might adopt will effectively put abortion out of reach.

Meanwhile an association of religious believers called In Good Faith told BIRN that the '40 Days for Life' disturbs hospital patients and medical staff and puts pressure on women.

"Next to spreading scientifically disputed and unfounded myths about post-abortion syndrome, such initiatives intensify women's guilty conscience and feeling of low value and abandonment, which is certainly not in...