Unrest emerges in Brazil due to tougher abortion regulations.
In Brazil, abortions are currently allowed under specific circumstances such as rape, severe fetal defects, or risk to the mother's life. However, in all other cases, an abortion is classified as a crime and can result in up to four years in prison. Conservative politicians and influential evangelical churches back the bid to tighten these abortion laws further.
One proposed bill in the Brazilian Parliament labels abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy as "murder." Under this legislation, punishments for terminating a pregnancy after the 22nd week include six to 20 years in prison - even in cases of rape.
The influential conservative deputies bypassed the committee process and introduced this bill directly into the Chamber of Deputies on a Wednesday.
Liberals and women's rights activists responded with anger, arguing that the new law would primarily impact girls and young women. These groups often struggle to speak out about experienced violence or only notice pregnancy-related symptoms late.
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Protests against the strict abortion law proposal erupted in Florianópolis, expressing concerns about the impact on victims of rape. Meanwhile, in São Paulo, mothers and advocates for women's rights organized rallies, urging politicians to reconsider the bill's potential harm. Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro and Brasília also joined these demonstrations, calling for the loosening of the tightening abortion regulations. The harshness of the new law, particularly its classification of late-term abortions as "murder," sparked international criticism and concern about human rights in Brazil.
