The case caused a stir worldwide. Images of the hearing came into hands from The Intercept Brazil. Because the girl is a minor, the case took place behind closed doors.
The footage shows the judge, Joana Ribeiro Zimmer, asking the child if she “knows how pregnancies work” and she refers to the rapist as “the father of the child.” She also asks the girl to hold on a little longer and even proposes a name for her child.
–
–
After the images appeared online, justice in Brazil was called on to suspend the judge. Zimmer is now under investigation, the AP news agency reported.
According to the girl’s lawyer, she was 10 years old when she was raped. The pregnancy was discovered in the 22nd week. Her mother then took her to the hospital to have it removed. The hospital refused: abortion would only be allowed until the 20th week.
Judge has another job
The family went to court. But Zimmer forbade the abortion and had the child removed from home. According to the family’s lawyer, the law does allow abortions for rape victims, regardless of how long they are pregnant.
The girl has since returned home, after the verdict of another judge. He still didn’t allow the abortion. Judge Joana Ribeiro Zimmer has said she did nothing wrong. She is no longer involved in the case, as she got another job as a judge.
–
–
