El Salvador Frees Woman Jailed For Homicide After Miscarriage

Pressured by feminist organizations, Salvadoran authorities on Wednesday freed a woman who had served a decade of a 30-year prison sentence on charges of aggravated homicide after suffering a miscarriage.  

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"We celebrate that Elsy has been released and that her erroneous sentence is finally over," said Morena Herrera, the president of El Salvador's Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion.

The 38-year-old citizen Elsy, whose last name was not released, reported an obstetric emergency in June 2011 while working as a domestic worker. Instead of providing her medical care, authorities immediately arrested her for abortion suspicion.

“Elsy’s original court case was full of irregularities: she did not even have a defense to watch for her rights,” Herrera highlighted. Over the last 20 years, 181 women who suffered obstetric emergencies have been criminally prosecuted in El Salvador, which bans abortion under all circumstances, including when the woman's life is in danger. 

In Sept.  2021, President Nayib Bukele stated that he will not consider any Constitutional amendment to decriminalize abortion. "I am not in favor of pregnancy interruption. I hope that our society will someday realize that it is a great genocide," he alleged.

Nevertheless, feminist organizations’ struggles recently forced his administration to free Karen, Kathy, Evelyn, and Kenya. They were also convicted to a 30-year prison sentence after suffering obstetric emergencies.

"We are happy for these achievements, but there are still 17 women unjustly imprisoned for suffering complications during their pregnancy. For them, we will continue to fight," Herrera pointed out.