Euthanasia Could Become Legal in the Czech Republic

Inspired by Belgium, Czech MPs have submitted a proposal to legalize physician-assisted suicide

Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas

Written by Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas Published on 12.07.2016 10:10:59 (updated on 12.07.2016) Reading time: 1 minute

Czech MPs are preparing to submit a bill that legalizes assisted suicide and euthanasia, reports Aktualne.cz. The law was inspired by Belgium, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002.

The group, headed by university professor Jiri Zlatuška (YES), submitted a draft of the “law of dignified death,” which is largely a transcript of the Belgian version.

The proposal would allow only those who are terminally ill or suffering permanent mental or physical anguish with no hope of recovery to end their lives via physician-assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is now legal in Switzerland, Germany, Albania, Colombia, Japan, and the US states of Washington, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico, Montana, and California (where potential patients must prove permanent residency).

In Germany, the law allows both Germans and foreigners to undergo suicide. Likewise in Switzerland. The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg allow doctors to perform euthanasia under strict conditions, when the patient’s case is assessed as hopeless and when the subject is in great pain.

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