Mbour High Court: A young shopkeeper sentenced to six months suspended for abortion

Prosecuted for using abortion pills, RN, a shopkeeper, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended. In the dock of the Mbour High Court, the young woman recounted the circumstances that led her to act, while her lawyer pleaded for leniency, citing the burden of social stigma.

The young shopkeeper, who appeared at the summary court hearing, explained that she had been disoriented and did not know who to turn to to talk about her difficulties.

In this desperate situation, she resorted to abortion pills. A decision that could have cost her her life. Her family found her unconscious after she took the medication.

Facing her, the presiding judge emphasized the risks associated with using abortion pills: "Do you know the dangers involved? You could even have lost your life," he pointed out. The judge also urged the defendant to consider the consequences of her actions.

In his closing arguments, the prosecutor argued that the defendant should face the consequences of her actions: "She had to take responsibility. The solution is not to take a life," he said.

During the hearing, the issue of family and social pressure surrounding pregnancies outside of marriage was also raised. The court specifically urged young people facing such a situation to seek support from their parents and those around them.

His lawyer, Omar Faty, highlighted the social context in which the events took place: "Hell is other people," the lawyer said, referring to the weight of customs and traditions and the stigmatization that people who conceive a child out of wedlock can face.

According to Mr. Faty, his client was facing a situation of great distress. He described his client as "a hurt and affected woman" who "regrets" her actions.

The defense therefore asked the court to take into account his condition and the circumstances surrounding the facts: "We implore forgiveness. Give him an extremely lenient application of the law," pleaded the lawyer.

The presiding judge ultimately sentenced RN to six months' imprisonment, suspended.