Cardinal Keith O'Brien has today written to the Director of Amnesty International in Scotland advising him that he intends to resign his membership of the organisation following the decision by the International Council of Amnesty International to support the provision of abortion services.

In his letter, Cardinal O'Brien states his decision is made with "great sadness" but on the grounds that the organisation's new stance places it "in contravention to that basic right to human life". Cardinal O'Brien first joined Amnesty as a student over 40 years ago and has supported it over many decades.

The full text of the Cardinal's statement is shown below.

ENDS