| ADPF 54 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Court | Supreme Federal Court |
| Full case name | Arguição de Descumprimento de Preceito Fundamental 54 (National Confederation of Health Workers (CNTS) v. President of the Republic) |
| Started | 17 June 2004 |
| Decided | 12 April 2012 |
| Citation(s) | Supreme Court of Brazil decriminalized the abortion of anencephalics in the country |
| Court membership | |
| Judge(s) sitting | President
Justices |
| Case opinions | |
| Decision by | Aurélio |
| Concurrence | Britto, Lúcia, Mendes, Barbosa, Mello, Fux and Weber |
| Dissent | Peluzo 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]
