Woman in El Salvador Released Following Abortion Conviction

A woman in El Salvador has been released from prison after serving more than seven years for having an abortion. The woman, known as Lilian, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2015. She gave birth to a baby girl in a public hospital, but the child faced health complications and died three days later. El Salvador has a complete ban on abortion, making it one of the strictest anti-abortion countries in the world. Lilian was accused of neglecting her fetus during pregnancy and was charged with negligence and aggravated murder. She has steadfastly maintained her innocence, claiming she never intended to terminate her pregnancy. Lilian was freed in December, but the news has only recently been made public. The judge based the decision on the vulnerable state she was in at the hospital when she lost her baby. El Salvador's abortion ban, implemented in 1998, does not include exceptions for cases of rape or when the mother's life is in danger. Women convicted of having an abortion face imprisonment ranging from two to eight years, but often the charge is escalated to aggravated homicide, carrying a minimum sentence of 30 years. Many women in El Salvador have been wrongfully incarcerated under suspicion of having an abortion. Although some have been released in recent years due to advocacy efforts, there are still women serving lengthy sentences. Activists are calling for justice and the protection of sexual and reproductive rights. President Nayib Bukele, who is likely to be re-elected next month, plans to enhance hospital conditions for safer childbirth but has no intention of changing the country's abortion law. The majority of El Salvador's population adheres to Roman Catholic or Evangelical beliefs, which emphasize the sanctity of life from conception.