2023-03-08 13:23:02

"Torture": El Salvador's Abortion Ban Condemned, Highlights Horrors Facing U.S. After Roe Overturned

As we mark International Women's Day on March 8, we look at the criminalization of abortion with filmmaker Celina Escher, who directed the award-winning documentary Fly So Far about abortion in El Salvador, which has enforced an abortion ban since 1998, and dozens of people have been convicted and imprisoned after having miscarriages, stillbirths and other obstetric emergencies. On Monday, women's rights activists called for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to condemn El Salvador in a case brought a decade ago by a woman, Beatriz, who died after being forced to carry a pregnancy although the fetus could not survive. Escher says El Salvador's current policies amount to "torture for the women and girls" forced to bring nonviable and dangerous pregnancies to term against their will.

Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues. 

On DN!, you’ll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events.

Missed an episode?  Check out DN on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change. 

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.

Celina Escher criminalization of abortion Democracy Now! Inter-American Court of Human Rights International Women’s Day women's rights activists

Politics

The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Thom Hartmann Program

The Thom Hartmann Program | Fear is the Tool of Fascism

The Thom Hartmann Program | Fear is the Tool of Fascism

The Stephanie Miller Show

The Stephanie Miller Show | Trump’s Cabinet Picks & Oklahoma’s Prayer in Schools Controversy

The Stephanie Miller Show | Trump’s Cabinet Picks & Oklahoma’s Prayer in Schools Controversy

The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

Related

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! | Voices for Peace: Israelis and Palestinians Unite

Democracy Now! | Voices for Peace: Israelis and Palestinians Unite

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! | U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley on Project 2025

Democracy Now! | U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley on Project 2025

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! | Counter-Demonstrators Spark Over 100 Arrests Amid Protest

Democracy Now! | Counter-Demonstrators Spark Over 100 Arrests Amid Protest

Exciting Spring Schedule Changes on Free Speech TV!

Exciting Spring Schedule Changes on Free Speech TV!

Proud Partners