CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: ‘A Girl is Not a Mother’: Brazilian Protestors Angry over ‘Urgent’ Abortion Bill Promoted by Influential Evangelical Group
CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: ‘A Girl is Not a Mother’: Brazilian Protestors Angry over ‘Urgent’ Abortion Bill Promoted by Influential Evangelical Group
https://x.com/Reuters/status/1801480938498703372
Source: Reuters X Account, @Reuters
On Thursday, thousands of Brazilians marched against a bill being debated in Congress that would equate abortion with homicide and impose terms of up to 20 years for terminating a pregnancy after 22 weeks, even in cases of rape.
On Wednesday, powerful conservative lawmakers pushed the bill directly to the Chamber of Deputies, avoiding committee consideration, prompting an outcry from progressive groups.
In Rio de Janeiro, demonstrators held candles and chanted, “A girl is not a mother.”
Currently, Brazilian law does not criminalize abortion in cases of rape or restrict when victims can have the procedure.
Abortion is also legal when the woman’s life is in danger if the fetus has a brain defect.
Outside of these exceptions, having an abortion is punishable by up to 4 years in prison.
The new bill, promoted by an influential evangelical group, defines abortion as “simple homicide” if performed after 22 weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is considered alive outside the womb, including in cases of rape.
The Christian bloc in the Chamber of Deputies, which is primarily made up of Evangelical Congress members, has been pushing for the bill’s approval under a “regime of urgency”.
Congressman Sóstenes Cavalcante, an Assembly of God theologian who previously led the Christian bloc and now belongs to former President Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, introduced the bill.
If an abortion is performed beyond week 22, the new legislation calls for a 6- to 20-year sentence, which is double that of a rapist.
This is especially true for girls and young rape victims, who frequently do not dare to discuss what happened or do not notice pregnancy symptoms until later.
There is no definite date for the vote in the Chamber of Deputies.
Protests were held in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, and Florianopolis, according to social media images.
According to images shared on social media, protests also took place in Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Florianopolis.
‘A GIRL IS NOT A MOTHER’: Brazilian Protestors Angry URGENT ABORTION BILL Promoted by Evangelicals | Christian Breaking News!