In Tucuman, Argentina, a young woman, Belen, is being held in jail because she lost her fetus in a hospital. She went to the hospital with stomach pains, didn't know she was pregnant, and had a procedure to remove fetal tissue. Then, weirdly, somebody's fetus turned up in a drain, and it is assumed to be Belen's though there was no DNA testing to establish this. She is being charged with inducing an abortion.
Anti-abortion laws like this can discourage women from seeking much needed medical attention. They also undercut efforts to reduce the transmission of Zika. Please join me in asking Tucuman Provincial Police to drop the charges against Belen and release her from prison immediately.
Dear Tucuman Provincial Police:
It is really distressing to read that you have charged a young woman with self aborting, and you are even holding her in jail. In the first place, abortion laws like these are entirely out of date and make life dangerous for women who need help. Belen went to the hospital because she desperately needed medical help. She had terrible stomach pains and did not even know that she was pregant. Your incarceration of her is a terrible violation of civil and human rights. Please release Belen and drop all charges against her.
