Euthanasia Bill Rejected By Senate

The Senate of the Czech Republic by majority of voices rejected the bill on euthanasia proposed by senator Václava Domšová who belongs to the Union of Independents-European Democrats (SNK-ED). Czech lawmakers opposing the bill are afraid of possible misuse if a law that regulates cases of euthanasia and so called assisted suicide would be accepted.

The most prominent opponents of the euthanasia bill are Human Rights Minister Džamila Stehlíková, Minister of Health Tomáš Julínek and Minister of Defence Vlasta Parkanová. Džamila Stehlíková commented upon her point of view: “People often think there is only one choice - suffer or let the doctor kill the suffering patient. It is doctors´ task to secure a man´s dignity and help him or her not to suffer physically nor mentally”.

But according to the data obtained during the poll performed by the consulting company SC&C for Mladá fronta Dnes daily newspaper about two thirds of the Czech Republic inhabitants support legalizing of euthanasia. At the moment euthanasia by a patient’s demand can be legally fulfilled in Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Colombia and Oregon state in the USA.

Photo: euthanasia machine (Australia) - by Gaius Cornelius, photographed in the Science Museum, London (wikimedia.org)