keywords: abortion abortions portugal conception boat
text: Women on Waves Portugal has a long tradition of protecting the human life. It was the first European country to abolish the death penalty, and more than 50 of voters rejected a 1998 referendum that would have liberalized abortion laws en (abortion is legal in Portugal if the pregnancy resulted from a rape, if it endangers the mother's life, or if the fetus is severely malformed; the morning-after pill is also legal).    Now a Dutch boat from an organization called Women on Waves intends to pick women in Portugal, bring them to international waters (where the law of the boat's country applies: the Netherlands allows abortions for six weeks after conception, if not performed within 25 km from an Amsterdam hospital), perform abortions, and return them to land. The Portuguese government has refused entry to Women on Waves' ship, the Borndiep (previously Sea Change).