Time is running out - tweet now for Beatriz

Update - 28 May: Faced by the continuing failure of the authorities to provide Beatriz with the treatment she so urgently needs, staff at the Citizens' Group for the Decriminalisation of Abortion (Agrupación Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto) held a press conference on Thursday 23 May, followed by the public hand-over of the more than 155.000 signatures collected by AI Sections across the world.

Agrupación Ciudadana have also let Beatrix know the scale of support for her case and she has expressed her thanks to you all. Please now keep up the pressure by supporting our global Twitter action.  

Months have passed since 22-year-old Beatriz requested an abortion to save her life, and despite a ruling by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on 29 April, the Salvadoran authorities still refuse to act. Beatriz’s situation is becoming increasingly urgent. Over 9,000 of you have co-signed our letters to the authorities – but we need you to take action again. This time on Twitter.

I am outraged that a young mother at high risk of pregnancy related death would be denied the abortion that could save her. Suffering from lupus and other medical conditions, including kidney disease, her life has already been fraught with danger and she experienced serious complications during her previous pregnancy. Three scans have confirmed that the foetus is anencephalic (lacking a large part of its brain and skull), which in almost all cases results in death before or within a few hours or days of birth.

The difficulty of deciding to abort a child is, I imagine, traumatic in itself. But after making such a distressing decision, she is now being forced to continue with the pregnancy - leaving her in emotional turmoil and physical pain. With a young son to care for, she desperately wants to live.

Surely these tragic circumstances warrant an exception to El Salvador’s, criminalisation of abortion in all circumstances?

Beatriz’s doctors have expressed their wishes to save her life by performing the procedure, but face a lengthy prison sentence if they do. The fact that doctors face criminal prosecution for saving a life, to me, contradicts the very purpose of their profession.

Delay upon delay – the Salvadoran government has to stop dithering

It has been over two months since Beatriz requested an abortion and her situation is now urgent. The courts were meant to reach a decision last week, but this has been delayed for a further two weeks.

So, a young woman, now five months pregnant, who I imagine is very frightened for her own life and that of her son, is asking the authorities to save her. Doctors are also asking the authorities to allow them to save her life. Why do the Salvadoran government refuse to act?

Your actions are helping. Now get tweeting

Your actions and appeals to the government of El Salvador have already had an impact. We know they are concerned by your appeals, so it is essential that we keep pressing them to act. Local NGOs have that twitter actions have created much debate and discussion on this issue within the country – and the government are taking note.

Help us keep up the pressure by joining our twitter action.  Please send the tweets below aimed at the President and Attorney General.

Tweet.@presidencia_sv you can #saveBeatriz - she wants to live. Give her access to the treatment she needs to survive.

Tweet.@presidencia_sv You are responsible for protecting #Beatriz 's human rights: the world is watching #saveBeatriz !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

Tweet.@luism_abogado #saveBeatriz and let her have the treatment she needs - her life is in your hands !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

And please send this tweet to encourage your friends to act

TweetAct now to #SaveBeatriz - tweet the authorities and tell them to let her have the treatment she needs! !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

Not on Twitter?

You can still take our SMS action – text TREATMENT1 and your full name to 70505 to co-sign letters we’re faxing to the authorities.