Gift of Life said today that the Constitutional amendment it is discussing with the government and the opposition does not aim to entrench any part of the Criminal Code in the Constitution, but only to ensure that the constitutional right to life is extended to the unborn..

Reacting to a statement issued by Alternattiva Demokratika on Friday, GOL said that, like AD, it believed that the Constitution is not about laws but rights, including human rights.

“We are surprised that the AD is still under the impression that the proposal has anything to do with the entrenchment of the Criminal Code. This was an idea first put forward by Dr Tonio Borg in 2004. Since that time, the issue being discussed has always been to clearly include the unborn child as also enjoying the right to life.”

GOL said that what it is proposing is to substitute article 33 (1) of the Constitution which says that: “No person shall intentionally be deprived of his life save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the law of Malta of which he has been convicted.”

Its proposed new sub-clause would read: “No person shall intentionally be deprived of his life as from conception.”

In that way, the Constitution would be protecting the right of life of the unborn.

GOL asked if AD was objecting to this.