A moment of euphoria in a long battle for women’s rights in El Salvador | Amnesty's global human rights blog

23.1.15

A moment of euphoria in a long battle for women’s rights in El Salvador | Amnesty's global human rights blog: “Guadalupe” was just 18-years-old when she was imprisoned in 2007. She received a 30 year sentence after authorities wrongly suspected she had terminated her pregnancy. El Salvador has one of the most draconian abortion laws in the world, criminalizing abortion on all grounds, even when a woman’s life or health is in danger and in cases of rape. Women suspected of having illegal abortions are also often cruelly and deliberately charged with homicide, as in Guadalupe’s case. Members of the Legislative Assembly had voted on 16 January on whether to pardon her but “Guadalupe” lost her plea by just one vote. But last night the assembly voted again and this time the pardon was granted. Now, after seven years, Guadalupe will be returning to her young son.

“Guadalupe” is one of a group of 17 similar cases (“the 17”) that will come before the Assembly petitioning for a pardon in the coming months. All are women who come from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds and are serving sentences of up to 40 years for pregnancy-related charges after flawed prosecutions and trials.