Salvadoran women tell of unjust treatment under abortion law

By MARCOS ALEMÁN
Associated Press

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Four Salvadoran women all had sought medical help for obstetric emergencies, and each ended up in prison sentenced to 30 years on aggravated homicide convictions for allegedly terminating their pregnancies. After spending a combined four decades behind bars, they were recently released thanks to a campaign by human rights activists. They sat down with journalists Tuesday to tell their stories and assert that they were wrongly charged and unfairly convicted in El Salvador, which is one of four nations in the Western Hemisphere with total bans on abortion. Even a miscarriage in El Salvador carries the risk of a long prison sentence for women who are young and poor.