The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) hears Belgian euthanasia case

Publié le 28 Jan, 2019

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg has just agreed to take up a case of euthanasia in Belgium.

 

Godelieve De Troyer was euthanised in 2012 by Wim Distelmans, a renowned Belgian oncologist. Tom Mortier, her son, criticises Belgium for “failing to sufficiently protect his mother’s life or conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death“.

 

The fact that she was “seeing a psychiatrist” should have highlighted her as “a vulnerable person on medical grounds“, explains Robert Clarke, her lawyer. “The State had a duty of care but failed to demonstrate that duty. “

 

At the end of 2014, Tom Mortier filed a complaint against the oncologist, but it was dismissed in January 2018 by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office, which closed the case without further action.

The Washington Times, Maria cheng  (08/01/19); Le Soir (08/01/19)

 

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