Updated 11.25am with MEP's reaction.
A pro-life group has urged Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer to clarify his position on the widespread abortion of children with Down Syndrome after he voted in favour of abortion becoming part of the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights.
In an open letter, the Doctors for Life group thanked Engerer for his work supporting individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) to be able to reach their potential and be provided with opportunities to do so.
However, in light of Engerer's pro-choice advocacy, it was pointed out that children with Down's were aborted 3-5 times more frequently than those without the condition.
"In numerous European countries, 90 to 100% of unborn children diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted. This means that overall, Europe has, so far, reduced the number of children born with DS by more than 50%. If this were due to the eradication of the condition itself through medical advances, that would be one thing. However, this is due to the eradication of the children themselves who are deemed undesirable due to their condition. This has disturbing, eugenic overtones reminiscent of some of the worst chapters in human history," the group said.
"Any notions that abortion is in any way beneficial to children with DS, sparing them a miserable life, are, at best, misguided, and at worst, dishonest, being completely unsupported by the evidence. Today, the life expectancy of people with DS is around 60 years. The robust research by Stotko et al. concluded that nearly 99% of children with Down syndrome are happy with their lives (when compared to around 70-80% of the general population), 97% liked who they are, and 96% liked how they look. Nearly 99% of people with DS expressed love for their families, and 97% liked their brothers and sisters".
Furthermore, more than 96% of brothers/sisters indicated that they had affection toward their sibling with Down; and 94% of older siblings expressed feelings of pride. A touching finding of research was that 88% of siblings felt that they were better people because of their brother or sister with DS.
"In light of the above, we invite you, as an MEP who voted in favour of abortion becoming part of the EU's charter of Fundamental Rights, to clarify your position vis a vis the widespread abortion of children with Down Syndrome," Doctors for Life said.
MEP accuses group of campaign of fear
In a reaction, Cyrus Engerer accused the pro-life group of being on "a scaremongering campaign intended solely to rouse emotions by deceit".
"Our fight for the rights of all persons with disabilities will remain at the top of our priorities and the results achieved also in my capacity as S&D negotiator for the European Disability Card speak for themselves," he said.
"When it comes to bodily autonomy and sexual health and reproductive rights of all women, including women with disabilities, I urge the anti-choice doctors to start basing their arguments on science and evidence, as per all the statements made by the World Health Organisation on this matter."