Euthanasia: the right to die between God’s will and the will of a man

Čović, Ana (2023) Euthanasia: the right to die between God’s will and the will of a man. Strani pravni život, 67 (2). pp. 229-250. ISSN 0039-2138

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Abstract

In recent decades, euthanasia has been an extremely current but also controversial issue from a legal, moral, ethical, and religious point of view. Supporters of its legalization emphasize the human right to a dignified death and the need to act humanely and respect the person's desire to choose death over life in suffering and pain. On the other hand, the opponents of euthanasia point out that the right to life, guaranteed and protected by law, basically opposes the legalization of the right to death, which as such does not exist in international legal documents. Also, the more religious opponents point out that God's will is birth, as well as dying, and that any interference in that process is inadmissible. The paper will give a brief overview of the European countries which laws allow some form of euthanasia, and a more detailed overview of the legislation in Belgium, as a country with the most relaxed approach to voluntary euthanasia today, where this practice is extended from physical to mental illness and includes children of all ages and felons. We will give a special overview of the case of Mortier v. Belgium. It is necessary to answer the question whether euthanasia is justified and valid in some cases from the aspect of humanity and compassion, and how these cases should be regulated, especially bearing in mind the proposal to decriminalize euthanasia by the new Civil Code of Serbia, which is currently being drafted.

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