'TO LEGALISE abortion is a real, the concrete way to make women more free' says Maria Antonio Palla, the Portuguese journalist recently acquitted on charges arising been out of a TV film on abortions. least 'People who are against the libera. accition of women are against abortion', and that is why the government acted against her as effort by the right to recoup the ground they lost on many issues, including women's rights and freedom of the press, after April 1974. The film was actually shown on TV in February 1976. protests then from the church and that right-wing parties, and she had to give and a statement to the police.
was all. 'But just three months ago, l received a note telling me to be present at the court — and suddenly, the trial against legalising abortion and it has one big supporter: their wife. 'When they protested against me three years ago, we did not have this president. two years, and they feel more strong to attack.' United Maria Palla is particularly critical who of the Communist and Socialist parties - WHO majority in parliament — for failing to legalise abortion. tion of abortion is in the programme of the Socialist Party, but when they were in government they didn't put it who WaS part of a concerted of whether they There were And that they There is now a campaign the president's But he has been there for have 'The liberalisa- the press.
delay it.' the right have a great campaign prepared and, if they do anything, the right will finish with them. But in fact we have spoken about this case for months, and the right is silent."
The only support for Palla and for legalised abortion comes from parties to the left of the Communists.
Why has this happened? reason may be that 'if you look at the the Portuguese parties, are. Communist or Christian, you see just three or four women. And those women are not touched by the problems of women, because they have passed to the other side - they have lost their sex. ' In particular, Palla feels that I am much more important as the vice-president of the journalists' union than if I was a deputy [MP), because what would happen to me is what has happened to the others — perhaps speak the assembly. As a journalist, I can speak several times a week.?
Which may, she feels, be why she was singled out for the beginning of a crackdown on women. "As a member of my union all my life, I have fought for the freedom of the press. For me freedom of speech and legalisation of abortion go together.
"In a democracy, we must cam. paign and arouse public opinion. The trial was a way to interfere with the debate — an attempt to interfere with But it will not stop the because it is impossible to stop a movement like this - only to