The Catholic bishops of Europe have denounced a resolution of the European Parliament calling for universal recognition of abortion as a human right.

The Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE) said that the resolution is “a deviation from universally recognized human rights and misrepresents the tragedy of abortion for mothers in difficulties.” COMECE warned that a bid to enshrine abortion as a human right “endangers fundamental rights, including freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and damages social cohesion.”