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Abortion debate heats up in Peru

October 21, 2009
Agence France Presse

LIMA (AFP) – Thousands of pro- and anti-abortion demonstrators squared off outside Congress Tuesday, as a legislative committee revisited and confirmed its recent support of a bill allowing abortion in case of rape or fetal deformity.

The panel voted October 7 to send the bill to Congress for debate, but strong opposition by the Roman Catholic Church and Defense Minister Rafael Rey, who says he will resign if the bill is approved, prompted a "technical" review of the measure.

The bill would expand a 1924 law, which allows abortion only when the expectant mother's health or life are in jeopardy, to include rape and fetal deformity.

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