Euthanasia rules produced by UK's DPP

Malaysia News.Net
Thursday 25th February, 2010

Britain’s director of public prosecutions has released a new framework on how police and prosecutors should handle assisted suicide cases.

The rules were released in the wake of high profile cases, such as that of 46-year-old multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy, who wants to go to Switzerland with her husband to end her life, and BBC presenter, Ray Gosling, who claims to have smothered his terminally ill friend.

The new euthanasia guidelines list 16 reasons for prosecuting and six reasons for not prosecuting, and differentiate between malicious intent and compassionate support.

For the prosecution: The guidelines specify one of the main factors justifying a prosecution would be a situation in which the person who assisted a suicide stood to gain financially from the death.

Against prosecution: There will need to be evidence that the suspect had sought to dissuade their loved one from suicide, and that the terminally ill person had reached a voluntary, clear, settled and informed decision to commit suicide.

Pro-life groups have said they hope the guidelines will weaken the calls for a law change on the matter, but advocates of the right to die say it is inhumane to prosecute people for helping a loved one die with dignity.

One of the main arguments has come from the general public, with concerns that assisted suicide could lead to vulnerable people being bullied into the act by greedy relatives.

Have your say on this story