The Secular Humanist Society Gibraltar (SHSG) says it is “deeply concerned” about the seven religious leaders’ public display and statements yesterday. The group says that, not only do they “make a mockery” of the horrors of the Holocaust, they also “make a mockery of the suffering of women in Gibraltar.”

A statement continued: “A group of church leaders of different faiths, who all happen to be men mostly of advanced ages, not content with the (ever decreasing) reach of their pulpits, have publicly denounced something which could never happen to them personally.

“Once again, religions seem intent, by lobbying for a no vote, to impose their beliefs on all persons in Gibraltar, including the non-religious.

“The new law on abortion (the Crimes (Amendment) Act 2019), which is the subject of this forthcoming referendum, is a permissive act. It does not impose abortion on anyone who does not want one. Yet these leaders want the denial of access to healthcare in Gibraltar to continue, on the basis of their beliefs. They even go as far as to deny the necessity of abortion on the grounds of physical or mental ill-health against medical facts.

“The reality is that local women are having abortions every single week abroad in substandard conditions. We demand healthcare within our own home country, which is as safe as possible and regulated by medical professionals.

“The SHSG cannot accept, by definition, the interference of religion on Gibraltarian citizens, in all areas of law and public health. We urge the public to make a stand against religious impositions and vote yes.”