Madrid - A controversy surrounding the planned
liberalization of abortion heated up in Spain on Friday as scientists
disagreed over whether scientific arguments could be used for or
against the termination of pregnancy.
A group of top scientists signed a counter-manifesto in response
to an anti-abortion declaration which has been signed by some 2,000
scientists and other professionals since last week, the daily El Pais
reported.
Science showed that human life began at the moment of conception,
the pro-life intellectuals argued.
'The moment at which a being can be considered human cannot be
established with scientific criteria,' the other group countered,
criticizing what it described as the increasing use of science to
defend religious or ideological beliefs.
The daily El Mundo meanwhile published an interview Rino
Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life at the
Vatican, who urged Spanish bishops to join an anti-abortion rally
planned for Sunday.
Spanish bishops have announced a 'massive' campaign against plans
by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's socialist government
to liberalize the 1985 abortion law.
More than 100,000 pregnancies are already terminated annually in
Spain, but the new law will free women from having to give reasons
for the procedure in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.
The socialists on Thursday criticized a northern Catholic school
which had shown pupils images of remains of aborted foetuses
alongside pictures of Zapatero.
The main opposition People's Party (PP) refrained from allying too
closely with pro-life groups, with none of its leaders expected to
join Sunday's rally.
Groups organizing Easter processions were also divided over
whether participants should wear white ribbons as a pro-life protest.
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