Hundreds of candles were lit outside Parliament on Wednesday evening as people gathered once more to protest the proposed amendments to Malta's criminal law banning abortion under any circumstance.

The vigil followed a demonstration last Sunday in which several thousands took to the streets of Valletta to voice their anger at the proposed amendments.

The amendments would remove the risk of criminal prosecution if a pregnancy is terminated during an intervention to protect the mother’s life or her health if it is in "grave jeopardy".

Activists on Wednesday lit candles around a large printout of a newborn baby stretched out on the ground.

Protesters lit hundreds of candles. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

TV host and journalist Peppi Azzopardi said the candles were a sign of hope. "These are not candles for the dead, but are full of life, life of the unborn in the womb," he said.

The bill is being debated in parliament. It has drawn a storm of protests from the opposition, the Church and several NGOs, while the doctors’ union has said it would cause more problems for medical professionals.

Other NGOs have come out in favour of the proposed legislation and academics are divided over the proposals.

During the vigil, the head of Life Network Foundation Miriam Sciberras called on the government to heed those behind the campaign.

"We agree with protecting doctors, we are also in favour of safeguarding the life of the mother," she told the crowd.

"But we are also in favour of the baby, the baby that is in the middle of all this. We cannot accept this clause as it will bring in abortion."

She said the organisation had written to Prime Minister Robert Abela earlier this week asking to meet and discuss the bill.

"Doctors are saying they are not safe with this new amendment," she added.

"Malta does not want abortion, it is in our DNA to love our children. Let us reword this amendment so that doctors, women and everyone has peace of mind and we know that every effort is being made to protect life."

A woman holding a picture of Our Lady at the protest. Photo: Chris Sant Fournie

It was "unacceptable", she said, that people had been attacked for their pro-life opinions.

She said a nun had been verbally abused online for voicing her opinion earlier this week and pro-life MPs had been threatened for their opinions.

PN MP Eve Borg Bonello said she had filed police reports after receiving threats for her pro-life opinions.

Asked by Times of Malta if Life Network would take any legal action over the proposed amendments, Sciberras said it had asked for a meeting with the prime minister and “if the bill passes we will take decisions step by step”.