Originally published on IciHaiti on 02/02/2016. Available at: https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16494-icihaiti-justice-abortion-legalized-in-the-new-penal-code.html
During a restitution workshop of the draft of the new Code of Criminal Procedure which will replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, from 1835, which will allow Haiti, according to members of the Presidential Commission for its implementation, to reach the level of requirements and unavoidable challenges that characterize our society, once the vote by the 50th Legislature of New Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code dissociated from the former.
In the New code to be ratified, abortion would become legal in Haiti in an effort to address public health concerns and freedom of women, according to Mr. Sybylle Théard Mevs, the Vice President of the Presidential Commission for the Reform of Justice, also vagrancy and begging among others, would also be decriminalized and considered as deviance rather than misdemeanors.
In addition, the new Penal Code provides for new offenses include: crimes against humanity, genocide, torture, trafficking and smuggling of migrants, environment, firearms, financial crimes, money laundering, abuse of social goods.
In addition to the offenses of new laws are integrated into the preliminary new draft Penal Code, including those on discrimination and gender violence.