• CONTROVERSY: The Mexican Supreme Court has scheduled a debate for next week over an opinion draft that establishes that criminalizing early abortion is a violation of human rights and that if approved could set a precedent to litigate against restrictive criminal codes across Mexico.
• VERACRUZ: Prepared by Justice Juan Luis González, the opinion draft supports an injunction issued by a lower court against the criminalization of early abortion in the state of Veracruz. The only Mexican states that do not criminalize early abortion (during the first trimester of pregnancy) are Mexico City and Oaxaca.
• DRAFT: “Total prohibition of the interruption of pregnancy, through its classification in the criminal code, is a barrier that generates discrimination against women with respect to their access to the right to health”, according to the opinion draft that will be discussed on July 29th.
• PROCESS: The opinion draft will be discussed by the Supreme Court’s First Chamber which deals with cases regarding civil and criminal law. The First Chamber is made up of five Justices and a majority of three Justices would be needed to support the opinion draft establishing early abortion as a human right.
