Indians protest in support of woman who died after being denied abortion in Ireland

(16 Nov 2012) 1. Various of women outside Ireland Embassy shouting anti Ireland slogans and holding posters 2. Close up of poster reading: (English) “Catholic Ireland Can’t Allow Murder of Innocent Women“ 3. Cutaway of security 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Smriti Irani, member of main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party: “The Irish Ambassador keenly listened to the protest that we bring forth on behalf of not only the Bharatiya Janata Party, but on behalf of every Indian who’s dismayed by the murder of Savita (Halappanavar).“ 5. Wide of protesters outside Irish Embassy 6. Wide of exterior of Irish embassy through gate STORYLINE: Women activists from the main opposition party in India protested outside the Irish Embassy in New Delhi on Friday about the death of an Indian woman who suffered a miscarriage and died after being refused an abortion in an Irish hospital. Savita Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she miscarried and died last month. Ireland’s government confirmed on Wednesday that Halappanavar suffered from blood poisoning and died after being denied an abortion, re-igniting the debate over legalising abortion in the predominantly Catholic country. The activitsts held banners reading: “Catholic Ireland Can’t Allow Murder of Innocent Women“ and chanted slogans such as “India will not tolerate Ireland’s crime against women“. Smriti Irani, member of the Bharatiya Janata party met with the Irish Ambassador. “The Irish Ambassador keenly listened to the protest that we bring forth on behalf of not only the Bharatiya Janata Party, but on behalf of every Indian who’s dismayed by the murder of Savita“, she said. Halappanavar’s husband, Praveen, said on Thursday doctors at University Hospital Galway in western Ireland determined that his wife was miscarrying within hours of her hospitalisation for severe pain on 21 October. He said over the next three days, doctors refused their requests for an abortion to combat her searing pain and fading health. It was only after the foetus died that its remains were surgically removed. Within hours, Savita was placed under sedation in intensive care with blood poisoning, her husband said. By 27 October, her heart, kidneys and liver had stopped working, and she was pronounced dead the next day. Three separate investigations are looking into the cause of Halappanavar’s death. Ireland’s constitution officially bans abortion, but a 1992 Supreme Court ruling said the procedure should be legalised for situations when the woman’s life is at risk from continuing the pregnancy. Five governments since have refused to pass a law resolving the confusion, leaving Irish hospitals reluctant to terminate pregnancies except in the most obviously life-threatening circumstances. An estimated 4,000 Irish women travel next door to England every year, where abortion has been legal on demand since 1967. But that option is difficult, if not impossible, if the woman’s health is failing. Abortion remains perhaps the most polarising issue in Ireland despite the decline of faith in the Catholic Church, battered by a string of child-abuse scandals. Opinion polls show majority support for legalising abortion, but politicians advocating liberalised access to abortion are confined largely to Gilmore’s Labour Party, the smaller member of Ireland’s 20-month-old coalition government. Other parties, including Prime Minister Enda Kenny’s Fine Gael, are broadly opposed. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: