The shocking case of Imelda Cortez has put El Salvador’s strict abortion laws in the spotlight. Human rights lawyer Paula Avila-Guillen and reporter Nina Lakhani describe how a surprise verdict has given fresh hope to women in El Salvador. Plus, in opinion, Randeep Ramesh on the Guardian’s call for a citizens’ assembly to break the Brexit deadlock

El Salvador has a total ban on abortion, and the law is applied brutally. It’s not uncommon for women who have a miscarriage or a stillbirth to be charged with murder or, in the shocking case of Imelda Cortez, attempted murder.



Her case, and the ultimate acquittal of all charges against her, has given hope to women in El Salvador. Reporter Nina Lakhani and human rights lawyer Paula Avila-Guillen describe how Imelda Cortez came to be charged with the attempted murder of her child.

In opinion, chief leader writer Randeep Ramesh speaks about the Guardian’s call for a citizens’ assembly, made up of a representative sample of the UK population, to help break the deadlock in the Brexit process.

