Abortion in Malta
De jure abortion in Malta illegal. Malta is the only country in the European Union where abortion is completely banned. However, as in other European countries, actual position differs from the exact letter of the law. Article 241 of the Criminal Code states: "(1) Anyone who, by any food, drink, medical means, or violence, or any other means, causes any woman with a child, with or without the woman’s consent, to miscarry, must, in the event of an admission of guilt, bear liability in the form of imprisonment for a term of 18 months to three years "; and „(2) The same penalty shall be awarded to any woman who miscarries herself, or who would consent to the use of the means by which the miscarriage is carried out." Original text (English) (1) Whosoever, by any food, drink, medicine, or by violence, or by any other means whatsoever, shall cause the miscarriage of any woman with child, whether the woman be consenting or not, shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term from eighteen months to three years. (2) The same punishment shall be awarded against any woman who shall procure her own miscarriage, or who shall have consented to the use of the means by which the miscarriage is procured. If a woman’s life is at risk due to pregnancy, abortion procedures can be performed in Maltese territory without consequences. This also happens in cases of incest and rape. In a recent incident, for example, the police department was notified by Mater Dei Hospital staff that a gynecologist and a university professor had performed a chemical abortion to prevent the mother from relapsing cancer, which could have been caused by hormonal changes common in pregnancy. No action was taken in this case by the police department. The Police Department retains the legal ability to bring criminal charges as they see fit. Tonio Borg, a Maltese politician, sought to make a constitutional amendment completely banning abortion, but this was not implemented.