Spanish judge prevents euthanasia of 23-year-old woman.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

On August 8 I reported that the father of a 23 year-old woman, in Spain, has challenged in court the approval of euthanasia for his daughter. The father argued in the court that his daughter, who is living with a partial paralysis, lacked the capacity to decide to be killed by euthanasia.

The woman was scheduled to be killed by euthanasia on August 2 but the judge suspended the death until a higher court can hear the case.

Faharas.net reported on August 15 that the same judge has recently suspended the death of another person, a man (54) who has had three strokes and two heart attacks. Both cases were brought to court by family members who questioned the euthanasia approval.

Christian Daily reported on August 15 that the judge suspended the euthanasia death of the 23-year-old woman because, as stated:

"I do not consider that there is a serious, chronic and disabling condition which, as the law describes, is the situation that refers to limitations that directly affect the physical autonomy and activities of daily living,”

It appears that the parameters of the Spanish law will be determined, over time, by the courts.