Brazil marched in protest on Thursday over a new abortion bill.
Brazilians demonstrated in Florianópolis, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília against the bill, which penalises women for terminating a pregnancy after 22 weeks. The law makes no restriction if the victim suffered rape, treating abortion as murder.
Conservative lawmakers have drafted a bill that bypassed committee discussions, resulting in protests from progressive organisations. The bill defines any abortion performed after 22 weeks of pregnancy as “murder.” An abortion performed after 22 weeks would result in six to 20 years in prison, double the penalty for rape, according to the bill.
Especially affected are girls and young women, as they often lack the courage to discuss their experiences or may not recognise the early symptoms of pregnancy. Activist Vivian Nigri accused lawmakers of protecting the “rights of the foetus” at the expense of the “rights of the child,” and said the following:
A child should not be forced to carry a pregnancy that is the result of rape.
Brazilian law to date does not limit when rape victims can undergo the procedure, nor does it penalise abortion in such situations. There are, in addition, exceptions, with a clause stating that abortion permits if the foetus has a brain abnormality or if the woman’s life is in danger. Thus, if an abortion occurs outside of these exceptions, the penalty is four years in prison.
No date has yet been set for the vote in the Chamber of Deputies, but the bill is currently being debated in Congress.
