FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday 10 September 2004

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FRONT ROYAL, VA—Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president, Human Life International, welcomes the departure of the Women on Waves abortion ship from Portugal and the potential prosecution of its founder, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, for incitement to illegal abortion.

“HLI protested the Women on Waves abortion cruises to Ireland in 2001 and to Poland in 2003, but we are especially pleased our collaboration with the Maternidade e Vida pro-life group in Portugal and its director, Francisco José Coelho da Rocha, led the Portuguese government to refuse these abortion extremists entry into their waters,” stated Father Euteneuer.

“Those who prey on unborn children must have their disregard for all human life exposed,” explained Euteneuer. Dr. Gomperts appeared on Portuguese television on September 7, 2004, and told viewers how to obtain without a prescription the same drug used in the RU-486 abortion pill, which is illegal in Portugal, and perform abortions on themselves. She posted her recommended procedure on the Women on Waves website. Such self-induced abortion is very dangerous for the life of the mother and her child. Gomperts fled Portugal after a petition by Maternidade e Vida that she be charged with incitement to illegal abortion was favorably received by the Portuguese authorities.

HLI was proud to sponsor the campaign to keep the abortion ship out of Portugal. Volunteers mobilized for numerous initiatives including placing HLI posters displaying an unborn child and the Portuguese words “Those who love do not kill” throughout the port of Figueira da Foz. Wide press coverage of the abortion boat incident highlighted pro-life sentiment in Portugal.

“We send our special congratulations to Dr. Paulo Portas, Portugal’s Minister of Defense, for his prompt action in deploying the Portuguese Navy to prevent the violation of their national sovereignty by the Dutch abortion ship. We also wish to publicly thank Dr. Humberto Vieira, director of HLI’s affiliate in Brazil, for his assistance in the campaign,” announced Euteneuer. HLI pledges to continue pursuing Women on Waves and Dr. Gomperts for their crimes against the most innocent.

Founded in 1981, Human Life International (www.hli.org) is the world’s largest pro-life, pro-faith, pro-family educational apostolate, with a network of branches and affiliates around the world.