Inter-American Court Rules in Favor of “Beatriz”

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has ruled that a Salvadoran woman known as Beatriz should be granted the abortion that her doctors say she needs to save her life. The country’s Supreme Court denied her access to an abortion on Wednesday.

Jacqueline Nolley Echegaray, senior international program associate at Catholics for Choice, said, “The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has done what the Supreme Court of El Salvador refused to do: recognize that the continued denial of critically necessary medical treatment to Beatriz constitutes a violation of her human rights. Beatriz, guided by her conscience, made the decision months ago to terminate her nonviable, life-threatening pregnancy. Unfortunately, the justice system in her country refused to recognize her rights, and the law in El Salvador remains unchanged: women suspected of terminating a pregnancy, and those who assist them, may be prosecuted and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. Salvadoran officials must see the light and change their law. We cannot allow any more tragic, unjust cases like this one.”

-###-