Colombia’s Constitutional Court has issued an order decriminalising abortion, making the country the fourth in Latin America to do so.

Under the ruling, abortions will be allowed up to 24 weeks of pregnancy in Colombia, a widely Roman Catholic country.

The decision was announced in a press release by the court following a debate among the justices.

Before the ruling, Colombia allowed abortions only when a woman’s life was in danger, a foetus had malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape.

Colombia’s court decision was called historic by activists in the country.

Elsewhere in Latin America, Argentina, Uruguay and Cuba also allow abortions without restrictions.

Latin America is also a region where some countries prohibit the termination of pregnancy without exception, like in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.