Woman in El Salvador Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Having a Miscarriage

A woman in El Salvador has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after a court ruled that she did not merely have a miscarriage, but had committed murder under aggravating circumstances, according to The Guardian.

As reported by Газета, the woman was arrested two years ago after seeking medical assistance at a public hospital.

El Salvador has a total ban on abortion, even in cases of incest, rape, or when the life or health of the mother and child is endangered.

“In Latin American countries where abortion is criminalized, women are forced to prove that a fetal death or miscarriage was the result of urgent obstetric care and could not have been prevented. If women lack the power or means to prove their case, or face complete distrust from authorities, they risk imprisonment,” commented human rights advocate and executive director of the Center for Women’s Equality, Paula Avila-Gillén.

She noted that this ruling is a significant setback in the progress made against the illegal criminalization of women who have miscarriages due to obstetric emergencies.