Guadalupe is free, after being jailed for a miscarriage

In El Salvador, abortion is a crime. If you’re poor and have a miscarriage, you may be accused of having an abortion and jailed – with very little evidence against you.

Guadalupe was 18 years old when she was sentenced to 30 years in prison for having a miscarriage.

She's one of 17 Salvadoran women jailed with extremely long sentences for ‘pregnancy-related’ offences after flawed and unfair trials.

A victory for human rights

In January 2014 – seven years in to Guadalupe's sentence – her case for a pardon was brought before the Legislative Assembly.

The vote was down to the wire – but she won, by just one vote.

This is a historical moment and the result of years of struggle by our women's rights partners in the region and globally.

Guadalupe's pardon is the first for 'Las 17' – the 17 women incarcerated for pregnancy-related complications. This result should set a precedent for other women in El Salvador. 

Thank you to everyone who took our urgent action.

Hundreds of you around the world sent tweets to the key Salvadoran parliamentarians to vote in favour of pardoning Guadalupe.

It shows that together we can have a big impact and make a real difference to people’s lives.

'With this decision, El Salvador has undone a terrible injustice. Guadalupe should have never been jailed in the first place. This release is a triumph of justice and a result of the tireless work by local human rights activists.'

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International Americas Director

The abortion ban

El Salvador’s total ban on abortion is a serious human rights violation and must be urgently repealed.

The ban makes it a crime for women and girls to have an abortion, and for anyone to help them have one. Anyone found guilty of terminating their pregnancies face jail sentences of up to eight years.

Those who have miscarriages may be charged with aggravated homicide and jailed for up to 50 years, because they too are suspected of having abortions.