Thousands rallied in Ireland after Indian women’s death
Dublin: Thousands of people rallied outside Ireland’s parliament on Wednesday to demand strict abortion rules be eased after a pregnant Indian woman repeatedly denied a termination died in an Irish hospital.
Savita Halappanavar, 31, admitted to University Hospital Galway in the west of Ireland last month, died of septicaemia a week after miscarrying 17 weeks into her pregnancy.
Her repeated requests for termination were rejected because of the presence of a foetal heartbeat, her husband told state broadcaster RTE.
At least 2,000 people gathered for a candle-lit vigil to demand that the government legislate to close a legal loophole that leaves it unclear when the threat to the life of a pregnant woman provides legal justification for an abortion.
“My reaction was outrage. Shame that this happened in my country,” protester Emer McNally, 33, and six months pregnant, said. “It’s scary to think that medical treatment was denied.”
The organisers of the Dublin protest said they expected a much larger crowd at a weekend demonstration and called on people to protest at Irish embassies around the world.
Prime Minister Enda Kenny, whose party has been criticised for delays in introducing legislation to define in what circumstances abortion should be allowed, offered condolences to the woman’s family, but said he could not comment further until an investigation into the death.
