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432 abortion cases requested to be reviewed after decriminalization of abortion in Mexico

After the historic ruling in favor of decriminalizing abortion by the SCJN, Conavim demands the review of 432 abortion cases that remain under investigation

By Redacción2021-09-13T02:49:00+00:00

This Sunday, the Mexican government requested the review of 432 investigation files that remain open for the crime of abortion in the country throughout 2021, this after the ruling in favor of its decriminalization by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN).

Fabiola Alanís, head of the National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women (Conavim), pointed out that there are 432 open cases for termination of pregnancy, which took place between January and June of this year.

In a press release, it was emphasized that it is the task of local and federal authorities to guarantee the non-criminalization of women for exercising their sexual rights, so it is a priority to attend to all abortion cases that are still currently open.

Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court made history by declaring unconstitutional the criminalization of abortion in the country, an initiative that prevents the imprisonment of any woman who chooses this surgical process to terminate a pregnancy, as well as medical personnel who collaborate in it with her consent.

Although this ruling only referred to article 196 of the Penal Code of Coahuila, which established a penalty of 3 years of precision for voluntary abortion, the ruling also creates a mandatory criterion for all courts in the nation.

At the moment, the termination of a pregnancy is a decriminalized process in only 4 of the 32 Mexican states, being Mexico City, Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Veracruz.

Regarding the states with the most open investigation files on the subject of abortion at present, these are the State of Mexico with 93 cases, Nuevo Leon with 67 and Mexico City with 52. It is worth mentioning that in Mexico City this surgical procedure is supposedly legal at least until the 11th week of gestation.

Based on data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP), other states that also have some open cases are: Tamaulipas (28 cases), Queretaro (22), Baja California and Guanajuato (with 18 each), Hidalgo (15), Veracruz (14) and Michoacan (13).

Arturo Zaldivar, president of the Supreme Court of Justice, informed that the Federal Institute of Public Defense will have public attorneys available to carry out the defense of the women prosecuted for the 'crime'.