Posted on 11/23/2011 11:50:06 PM PST by Cardhu
MEXICO CITY – A Mexican judge ordered the release of seven women serving long prison term in the central state of Guanajuato after suffering spontaneous abortions, state Attorney General Carlos Zamarripa told Efe.
Last Friday, a judicial decree was published in Guanajuato reducing the punishment of women convicted of homicide in cases of miscarriage or spontaneous abortion.
“With the new juridical concept, these seven women will enjoy their freedom this very night,” Zamarripa said Tuesday.
The women, all of them poor and with little education, were serving sentences of up to 30 years after being convicted of killing their newborn babies.
One of the women has already spent eight years behind bars.
This case sparked unease among Mexican and international human rights activists and public criticism from U.N. officials.
Last week, Guanajuato legislators added new wording to Article 156 of the state penal code “For the mother who deprives her child of life within the 24 hours immediately after the birth of the latter, and in addition if said deprivation is the consequence of motives of a psychosocial character, (a term of) three to eight years in prison will be imposed.”
The women to be released are: Maria Araceli Camargo Juarez, Ofelia Segura Frias, Yolanda Martinez Montoya, Liliana Morales Moreno, Ana Rosa Padron Alarcon, Susana Dueñas Rocha and Bonifacia Andrade Hurtado.
Since 2000, more than 40 Guanajuato women have been put on trial for abortion, which carries with it a prison sentence of up to three years according to the state penal code, and nine of them are currently on probation.
Legislation regarding abortion varies among Mexico’s 32 jurisdictions. While Mexico City permits termination of a pregnancy up to 12 weeks after conception, some states continue to treat abortion as a criminal offense.
(Excerpt) Read more at laht.com ...
Something lost in the translation? They seem to be speaking of frank infanticide, killing the liveborn.
You are right about that - spontaneous miscarriage in one place and liveborn in another.
Yet, “Last Friday, a judicial decree was published in Guanajuato reducing the punishment of women convicted of homicide in cases of miscarriage or spontaneous abortion,” they were released under that provision.
ping
I miscarried at 16 weeks and my baby came out dead. I am so confused by this story, there has to more to it, like angry husbands or something.
Couldn’t they tell the difference between abortion (with intention) and miscarriage? Although I’m sure there’s way to make abortion looks like miscarriage...
Sure... blame it on men.
You never know... I suffered a spontaneous abortion once, also known as a miscarriage. Because of the medical term, Tricare tried to get out of paying my hospital and doctor bill. They tried to say that the federal government didn’t pay for abortions. I’m not kidding. Actually had to have a medical board determine that no it wasn’t an abortion. These are your tax dollars at work. A bunch of nincompoops.
Who knows. The article is not clear on WHAT they did or WHAT happened.
Another story with pictures.
http://lo-de-alla.org/2010/09/guanajuato-releases-women/
I am so sorry for the loss of your baby, Mockingbyrd. Prayers for you and your family. There is definitely something odd with this story. A spontaneous miscarriage and an abortion are two different things. Either the term “miscarriage” and “abortion” are being defined as the same thing incorrectly or women are being punished for something completely out of their control.
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