Bill 1904, which is being fast-tracked in the House of Representatives, aims to equate the punishment for abortion to the imprisonment prescribed for simple homicide. If passed, it will make Brazil's legislation as harsh as that of countries like Afghanistan, El Salvador, and Indonesia, known internationally for their strict anti-abortion laws and violations of women's rights.
The bill seeks to impose a 22-week limit on any abortion procedures in cases of rape and opens the possibility of including other cases where abortion is currently permitted in Brazil, such as fetal anencephaly and risk to the mother's life.
A woman who undergoes the procedure after this period, if convicted, will face a prison sentence of 6 to 20 years.