Malta – Depenalisation of abortion is the very least we expect

The least our members of parliament can do is change the law and remove the possibility of a custodial sentence being handed down by the courts in abortion cases.

15 March 2026

This leader has repeatedly argued for the legalisation of abortion and its regulation as a healthcare matter. Pregnant women should have the choice to make decisions on their life, their health and wellbeing as they deem fit. And that includes the choice to terminate their pregnancy.

We contend that every woman should have the right to terminate her pregnancy for whatever reason up to the point of the foetus’s viability outside the womb. Furthermore, at any stage of the pregnancy, the woman should have the choice to terminate her pregnancy if her life is on the line. Not everyone will make these choices but for those who want to, the option should be accessible, safe and legal.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/140344/depenalisation_of_abortion_is_the_very_least_we_expect_

15.03.2026

Opinion

abortion law reform

decriminalization of abortion

Malta – ‘Scapegoated’ doctors demand clarity on whether to report abortions

A police report made by the consultant led to a woman being charged, convicted and given an 18-month jail term suspended for three years

15 March 2026
Claudia Calleja

Doctors are calling for clear, written guidance on their legal obligations when a woman is admitted to hospital with a suspected abortion.

The demand comes after a consultant was reportedly “scapegoated” for acting on what appears to have been incorrect legal advice that he was required to report the patient to the police.

The police report made by the consultant, who has since been named as obstetrician and gynaecologist Max Dingli, led to the woman being charged, convicted and given an 18-month jail term suspended for three years.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/article/scapegoated-doctors-demand-clarity-report-abortions.1125494

Voice for Choice send open letter to PM demanding abortion decriminalization

Pro-choice NGO Voice for Choice says criminal investigations and legal proceedings still punish women who undergo abortion

24 January 2026
by Juliana Zammit

Voice for Choice has called for the formal decriminalization of abortion in Malta through a letter written to Prime Minister Robert Abela, arguing that the current legal framework punishes women through investigations and prosecutions, even when imprisonment is avoided.

In an open letter, the advocacy group acknowledged the Prime Minister’s recent recognition that imprisoning women for abortion “serves no one and causes real harm,” describing this as “a position civil society has been advancing for years.”

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139375/voice_for_choice_send_open_letter_to_pm_demanding_abortion_decriminalisation
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139375/voice_for_choice_send_open_letter_to_pm_demanding_abortion_decriminalisation

24.01.2026

News

decriminalization of abortion

Malta Voice for Choice

Malta – Robert Abela: No woman will go to prison for abortion on my watch

Prime Minister Robert Abela says he would use constitutional prerogative to recommend changing jail term imposed on women for abortion to non-custodial sentence

18 January 2026
by Nicole Meilak

No woman will go to prison for abortion under Robert Abela’s watch, the prime minister told MaltaToday in an informal exchange last week.

Abela told the MaltaToday newsroom that he does not believe women should go to prison for having an abortion and will comfortably use his prerogative as prime minister to recommend swapping any prison sentence with a conditional discharge.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139225/robert_abela_no_woman_will_go_to_prison_for_abortion_on_my_watch_

18.01.2026

MALTA – PM rules out introducing abortion, disagrees with suspended jail-term for woman

Robert Abela says the government has 'no mandate' to introduce abortion

Jacob Borg
Sep 28, 2025

Speaking during an interview on ONE TV by John Bundy, the prime minister said the government has no mandate to introduce abortion or hold a referendum on its introduction.

On Saturday, activists gathered outside the law courts in Valletta to once again call for the decriminalisation of abortion.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/article/pm-rules-introducing-abortion-disagrees-suspended-jailterm-woman.1116969

28.09.2025

MALTA – Outrage is not enough. Decriminalise abortion

We now have a woman whose police conduct has been tarnished because she made use of a procedure that is perfectly legal across all EU countries but not her own

6 August 2025
Editorial

There seems to be widespread consensus that a woman who has had an abortion should not be sent to prison. Even among those who oppose abortion, some argue against imprisonment despite agreeing that abortion should remain a criminal act.

Malta’s draconian anti-abortion law contemplates a prison term for both woman and doctor, who would have performed an abortion. Doctors also face the prospect of losing their warrant. The amendments enacted in 2023 only introduced a very limited exception to allow an abortion to take place if a woman’s life is in grave danger and left the criminal consequences untouched.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/136362/outrage_is_not_enough_decriminalise_abortion

06.08.2025

Opinion

Jo Etienne Abela

Professional Secrecy Act

Malta – Government considering preventing doctors from reporting women who had abortions

Prime Minister Robert Abela was speaking on ONE Radio a few days after a woman was handed a 22-month prison sentence suspended for two years after having an abortion

2 August 2025
by Matthew Farrugia

Government is considering changes to the Professional Secrecy Act to ensure that doctors don’t report women seeking post-abortion medical care without their explicit consent.

Abela was speaking on ONE Radio a few days after a woman was handed a 22-month prison sentence suspended for two years after having an abortion.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/136294/government_considering_preventing_doctors_from_reporting_women_who_had_abortions

03.08.2025

News

doctors reporting patients for abortion

Joseph Muscat

post-abortion care

Professional Secrecy Act

Malta – The PM: Government is seeking an Amendment that women may search for medical help without ending up jailed

August 2, 2025
Aqra bil- Malti

The Prime Minister and Leader of the Partit Laburista Robert Abela said the Government is in no way trying to amend the law which prohibits abortion but it thinking of an amendment where professional secrecy will reign so that a doctor may be able to report a woman has taken pills for abortion but only if she agrees.

Interviewed on ONE, the PM spoke on the planning law and said ahead this means consultation together with non-Government NGOs and a work group will be created for consultation.

Prime Minister Robert Abela said that today a doctor has a choice of reporting or not that a woman had had an abortion and it is being proposed this will only happen if the woman agrees a report be made.

Continued: https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/the-pm-government-is-seeking-an-amendment-that-women-may-search-for-medical-help-without-ending-up-jailed/

02.08.2025

Malta – Abortion change that preserved the status quo

In stark contrast, the Diluted Amendment limits the scope of who may access the necessary treatment, since it requires that the life or health of the patient must be ‘in grave jeopardy which may lead to death’

Neil Muscat
14 October 2023

In the past months, Malta has witnessed the diluted version of Bill 28 (the ‘Diluted Amendment’) (Act XXII of 2023) signed into law by the President.

Prime Minister Robert Abela had touted the former Criminal Code amendment (the ‘Original Amendment’) as a way to protect women's lives and health, saying these principles were ‘non-negotiable'.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/125229/abortion_change_that_preserved_the_status_quo__neil_muscat

Malta – ‘A historic mess’: Labour’s liberal wing unhappy with watered-down abortion bill

Labour insiders say abortion bill was badly handled 'from beginning to end'

July 2, 2023
Daniel Ellul, Mark Laurence Zammit

Several Labour MPs have expressed concern after the government backed down and amended the so-called 'abortion bill' even though they voted in its favour on Wednesday.

Bill 28 was unanimously approved in parliament, with no one calling a division (individual counting of votes).

The prime minister described the vote as a 'historic day', but several MPs in Labour's liberal wing are far less excited.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/a-historic-mess-labour-liberal-wing-unhappy-watereddown-abortion-bill.1041335

02.07.2023