ADPF 54

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ADPF 54
CourtSupreme Federal Court
Full case nameArguição de Descumprimento de Preceito Fundamental 54 (National Confederation of Health Workers (CNTS) v. President of the Republic)
Started17 June 2004 (2004-06-17)
Decided12 April 2012 (2012-04-12)
Citation(s)Supreme Court of Brazil decriminalized the abortion of anencephalics in the country
Court membership
Judge(s) sittingPresident

Cezar Peluso

Justices

Case opinions
Decision byAurélio
ConcurrenceBritto, Lúcia, Mendes, Barbosa, Mello, Fux and Weber
DissentPeluzo and Lewandowski
Keywords

ADPF 54 is a landmark case of the Supreme Court of Brazil. The rapporteur, minister Marco Aurélio Mello, voted in favor of decriminalization of abortions involving anencephalic fetuses.[1] The minister considered it unconstitutional the interpretation that interrupting a pregnancy of anencephalic fetus is a crime according to the Penal Code of Brazil:[1]

Aborto é crime contra a vida. Tutela-se a vida em potencial. No caso do anencéfalo, não existe vida possível. O feto anencéfalo é biologicamente vivo, por ser formado por células vivas, e juridicamente morto, não gozando de proteção estatal. [...] O anencéfalo jamais se tornará uma pessoa. Em síntese, não se cuida de vida em potencial, mas de morte segura. Anencefalia é incompatível com a vida.

Abortion is a crime against life. The potential life is protected. In the case of the anencephalic, there is no possible life. The anencephalic fetus is biologically alive, being composed of living cells, and juridically dead, not warranting state protection. [...] The anencephalic will never become a person. In short, it is not about caring for a potential life, but an assured death. Anencephaly is incompatible with life.

— Excerpt of Minister Marco Aurélio's vote

Minister Dias Toffoli voluntarily abstained from voting due to a self-declared conflict of interest, as he previously presented a favorable opinion towards interrupting the pregnancy in such cases, during his term as Attorney General of Brazil.[1]

High Court decision[edit]

Legal on request:
  No gestational limit
  Gestational limit after the first 17 weeks
  Gestational limit in the first 17 weeks
  Unclear gestational limit
Legally restricted to cases of:
  Risk to woman's life, to her health*, rape*, fetal impairment*, or socioeconomic factors
  Risk to woman's life, to her health*, rape, or fetal impairment
  Risk to woman's life, to her health*, or fetal impairment
  Risk to woman's life*, to her health*, or rape
  Risk to woman's life or to her health
  Risk to woman's life
  Illegal with no exceptions
  No information
* Does not apply to some countries or territories in that category
Note: In some countries or territories, abortion laws are modified by other laws, regulations, legal principles or judicial decisions. This map shows their combined effect as implemented by the authorities.

Judiciary representation[edit]

Supreme Court members Ministers Yes No
Ayres Britto 1 1
Cármen Lúcia 1 1
Celso de Mello 1 1
Cezar Peluso 1 1
Gilmar Mendes 1 1
Marco Aurélio Mello 1 1
Rosa Weber 1 1
Joaquim Barbosa 1 1
Luiz Fux 1 1
Ricardo Lewandowski 1 1
Total 10 08 02

Legislative representation[edit]

Prosecutor General Prosecutor Yes No
Roberto Gurgel 1 1
Total 1 1 0

Executive representation[edit]

Attorney General Attorney Yes No
Luís Inácio Adams 1 1
Total 1 1 0

Amici curiae[edit]

Page in the Supreme Federal Court's ruling listing the amici curiae involved in the decision
Amici curiae (Support for ADPF 54) (10)
Entity Translated name Acronym
Católicas pelo Direito de Decidir [pt] Catholics for the Right to Decide CDD
Associação de Desenvolvimento da Família Association of Family Development ADEF
Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia Brazilian Federation of Gynecology FEBRASGO
Sociedade Brasileira de Genética Clínica Brazilian Society of Clinical Genetics
Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Fetal Brazilian Clinical Society of Fetal Medicine
Conselho Federal de Medicina Federal Council of Medicine CFM
Rede Feminista de Saúde Feminist Network of Health
Escola de Gente [pt] School of People EG
Instituto de Bioética, Direitos Humanos e Gênero [pt] Institute of Bioethics, Human Rights and Gender ANIS
Federal Deputy José Aristodemo Pinotti (DEM-SP)
Amici curiae (Against ADPF 54) (3)
Entity Translated name Acronym
Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil National Conference of Brazilian Bishops CNBB
Associação Nacional Pró-vida e Pró-família National Association Pro-Life and Pro-Family
Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus Universal Church of the Kingdom of God IURD

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Veja como votaram os ministros do STF sobre aborto de feto sem cérebro" [See how Supreme Court ministers voted on abortion of fetus without a brain]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2012-04-11. Retrieved 2023-11-13.