Euthanasia is justified in cases where a person is suffering from an irreversible condition and “intolerable” pain, Italy’s constitutional court has ruled in a landmark decision.
The court said that, in certain circumstances, anyone who "facilitates the suicidal intention... of a patient kept alive by life-support treatments and suffering from an irreversible pathology" should not be punished.
The ruling was strongly criticised by the Catholic Church but applauded by right-to-die activists and some politicians.
In its judgment, the court said that assisted dying should be allowed if a patient had an irreversible condition which caused him or her severe physical and psychological suffering.
The court made the decision after considering the case of Marco Cappato, a right-to-die activist who was accused of assisting the suicide of a 40-year-old DJ who was left a tetraplegic after a horrific car accident in 2014.
Fabiano Antoniani, better known as DJ Fabo, took his own life at a Swiss euthanasia clinic in 2017.
He had been left profoundly disabled by the crash, as well as blind and in need of assistance to eat and breath.
Mr Cappato welcomed the ruling, saying that “as of today, all of us in Italy are freer.”
In a trial in Milan, he was facing up to 12 years in jail for "instigating or assisting suicide" but is now likely to be acquitted.
The DJ’s former girlfriend also hailed the court’s judgment, saying that it meant his suffering had not been for nothing.
"Fabo's body had become a cage and he lived in that prison for two years and nine months. If a person in these conditions dreams of dying at home, I find it profoundly unfair that someone else should say no,” said Valeria Imbrogno.
But the Italian Bishops’ Conference called the judgment a “grave decision” which violated the sanctity of life.
“I don’t understand how you can talk of freedom. This is creating the preconditions for a culture of death,” said Monsignor Stefano Russo, the secretary general of the Catholic body.
From The Telegraph UK.
It is a terrible decision to make, I used to think it's abhorrent until I read the novel "Me before you" by Jojo Moyes and then goggled real life situations.
ReplyDeleteIt's indeed a heart wrenching thing to decide to end the life of a loved one trapped in endless unnecessary suffering.
I wholeheartedly support this. As hard as the decision may be,atleast the suffering of the loved one ends.
Delete'Me before You' was a painful read. Recently,I read 'Stix and Stones' and I was laughing and crying at the same time.
The book was adapted into a movie of the same title; it is worth watching.
DeleteAs a doctor, I am pro life. As a human, I totally support euthanasia. As a Christian, I am also pro life.
In order words... murder is now legal. God help us!
ReplyDeleteFrom a humanitarian angle, the court's decision ought to be applauded. It's painful seeing someone live like a vegetable, being assisted to eat, drink and walk.
ReplyDeleteIn as much as there is a right to live, there ought to be a right to die...provided that the condition is permanent and causes severe psychological and physical pains.
that's a grave but sound decision
ReplyDeleteLife is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate. Only the Creator can take out the last breath.
ReplyDeleteNawa o. Evil doctors will now use this as a yardstick for their evil.
ReplyDeleteI read a similar article where a man, Tony Nicklinson, had stroke for 7 years and paralyzed from neck down. He fought through the UK High Court, to be allowed to die with the help of a doctor. His case was denied and he died 6 days after the ruling as a result of heartbreak.
ReplyDelete