Look out Ernie!!!
elgium legalizes mercy killings
BRUSSELS, May 17, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Belgium
became the second country in the world to legalize euthanasia through a bill
passed by Parliament allowing doctors to take the lives of terminally ill
patients under strict conditions.
After two years of heated parliamentary debate and a marathon voting session
lasting two days, the House of Representatives adopted the law Thursday by a
vote of 86 to 56, with 10 deputies abstaining. The Senate approved the motion
last October.
The Netherlands was the first country to legalize mercy killing in legislation
passed in April.
The vote saw the Belgian Parliament split down the middle between the governing
coalition that supported the bill and the center-right opposition that opposed
it.
"People aren't afraid of being dead but they fear the process of dying," Flemish
Green Party Deputy Anne-Mie Descheemaeker told a packed Parliament chamber. "I'm
sure that having the option of euthanasia gives people the courage to go on day
after day."
Right-wing critics of the law said it was open to abuse and violated the
sanctity of the right to life. They immediately threatened to challenge the bill
in Europe's leading human rights court after all the opposition's 100 amendments
were rejected by the lower house.
"Today we fought the law with our votes. Tomorrow it will be before the European
Court of Human Right in Strasbourg," said Christian Democrat Tony van Parys.
Earlier this month, the court rejected a demand from a terminally ill and
paralyzed British woman to end her life. Diane Pretty died Sunday.
The Belgium law applies strict conditions for terminating the lives of patients.
For a mercy killing to take place, patients must be above 18 years of age, in
"constant and unbearable physical or psychological pain" resulting from an
accident or an incurable disease and fully conscious when they make the demand
to die.
Under terms of the law, which is expected to be enacted before summer, the
demand to die must be made repeatedly by the patient and witnessed by a third
party.
Doctors have a duty to inform the patient of their state of health and possible
treatments that could prolong life. If the doctor arrives at the conclusion no
other solution is possible and agrees the demand of the patient is voluntary, he
or she must get the approval of a second doctor for the lethal injection to be
applied.
The only major difference between the Netherlands law and the new Dutch
legislation is that in Denmark, minors will be allowed to terminate their lives
in extreme circumstances.
By GARETH HARDING, Europe Correspondent |
