(Adnkronos) – A 24-year-old woman, paraplegic after a suicide attempt in 2022, has been granted the right to euthanasia by the regional government of Catalonia, Spain. A right that the father challenged by filing an appeal in court and stating that his daughter suffers from a personality disorder that influences her choices. A historic trial is therefore being held in Spain where, for the first time since the approval of euthanasia in 2021, the ”right to a dignified death” has reached the courts.
“I want to end my life with dignity, once and for all,” the woman told the court today. “I feel misunderstood by my family, I feel alone and empty, this situation is causing me a lot of suffering,” she added.
The woman’s request to resort to euthanasia had received the support of the guarantee council and the Catalan government, which unanimously supported her decision in July last year. Euthanasia was due to be performed in August, but was suspended at the last minute due to legal objections raised by the father with the support of the activist group Christian Lawyers (Abogados Cristianos).
However, the legal representative of the Catalan government stated that “no scientific evidence has been presented to contradict the numerous medical reports that support” the authorization for euthanasia. The father, on the other hand, underlined “the State’s obligation to protect the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable and those with mental health problems”.
