European Court orders Portugal to pay compensation to 'Ship of Death'

Brussels, Belgium, Apr 14, 2009 / 23:04 pm

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered the government of Portugal to pay compensation to the abortion organizations that operate the “Ship of Death,” which was prevented from entering Portuguese waters by the country’s Navy in 2004.

According to the ruling, which the Portuguese Socialist government said it would not appeal, Portugal must pay $2,660 to each of the three organizations that manage the Dutch ship “Borndiep,” known as the “Ship of Death” because abortions are performed on deck in international waters near countries where the procedure is illegal.

The Court said Portugal violated article 10 of the Convention, which deals with freedom of expression, even though at the time abortion was not legal in the country and the “Ship of Death” was not engaged in an act of “expression” but in the performing of abortions in violation of Portuguese law.

The three feminist organizations, including “Women on Waves,” had filed a lawsuit in Portuguese courts, but the case was eventually rejected by the Supreme Court.