Spain legalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Spanish lawmakers on Thursday, March 18 legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide for people with serious and incurable or debilitating diseases who want to end their life, making Spain the fourth country in the European Union to take the step, Reuters reports.

The lower house of parliament’s vote in a final reading was 202 in favour, 141 against and 2 abstentions. Until now, helping someone end their life in Spain carried a jail term of up to 10 years.

“Today is an important day: we are heading towards the recognition of human rights. We are heading towards a more humane and fair society,” Health Minister Carolina Darias told lawmakers.

The law, available for adults with legal residence in Spain, will take force in three months to give time to set up regional control committees which will review and authorize requests.

Outside the parliament, groups for and against the bill demonstrated during the debate and the vote.

Euthanasia has long grabbed public attention in Spain, which has the world’s fourth-highest life expectancy, and more notably so since paralyzed man Ramon Sampedro recorded his assisted suicide in 1998 after being denied that right by courts.