JINHA

NEWS CENTER – Amnesty International is continuing a campaign to secure an abortion for a 10-year-old girl pregnant as a result of her stepfather’s sexual abuse in Paraguay.

Paraguay, where abortion is illegal even in cases of rape, is refusing to grant an abortion to the girl, who is 22 weeks pregnant. Doctors learned that the girl was pregnant when she was taken to the hospital suffering stomach pains. Now, her stepfather has fled and her mother is currently under arrest on charges of neglect. But the Paraguayan Health Minister Antonio Barrios has said that there is “no indication” of a health risk to the girl. The government is refusing to authorize the abortion.

"The physical and psychological impact of forcing this young girl to continue with an unwanted pregnancy is tantamount to torture," said Amnesty spokesperson Guadalupe Marengo.

The group is leading a social media and signature campaign for the girl’s right to an abortion.

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