Kagame Pardons All Girls Convicted of Abortion

President Paul Kagame has pardoned the last batch of 50 girls that had been convicted for abortion according to the ministerial order released Monday night.

The pardoned girls are part of 3600 prisoners that are to be released to de-congest prisons as one of the measures fight the spread Corona Virus.

Last month, Rwanda freed 1,821 people from police and the prosecution cells as part of the measures put in place to fight the spread the novel Coronavirus. Rwanda has 297 Covid 19 positive cases with 203 recoveries

Speaking about the pardon in Kigali, the Minister of Justice Johnston Busigye said the girls would be freed today from 14 different prisons across the country.

“After these have left jail, Rwanda will not have any woman in Jail convicted of abortion. The 50 are the last batch of girls convicted for abortion,” Busigye said.

In October last year 52 girls and young women jailed for abortion and infanticide were set free by the government.

Monday’s decision follows Rwanda’s revision of its penal code, which previously imposed prison sentences for anyone who had an abortion or helped in terminating a pregnancy.

The current law says abortion is allowed in cases such as rape, forced marriage, incest or instances where the pregnancy poses a health risk.

The law requires that abortions be carried out only after consultation with a doctor. Previously the decision was made only by a court.