Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies [official website, in Spanish] approved [press release, in Spanish] a bill [text; Spanish] on Thursday to decriminalize abortion for the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. As of right now, abortion is only decriminalized in Argentina in cases of rape or risk to the health of the mother.

The deputies proposed [JURIST report] the decriminalization bill in March.

The debate lasted for over 23 hours. 129 deputies voted in favor of the bill, with 125 against, and one deputy abstaining.

The bill will now be sent to Argentina’s Senate.

Amnesty International [advocacy website] hailed [press release] the passage in the lower house as “historic for human rights.” The Executive Director of Amnesty International Argentina, Mariela Belski, said, “New legislation could end a vicious circle where women have no option but to risk their lives, their health, and their freedom if they are sent to prison.”

In May Ireland’s constitutional amendment banning abortion was repealed [JURIST report] by a popular vote.