David Hunter, the man who made headlines for killing his terminally ill wife in Cyprus, has been cleared of murder charges. However, on Friday (July 21st), the Cyprus court found Hunter guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter, which as per his daughter is "the best we could have hoped for in the circumstances."&nbsp;He will now be sentenced on 27 July.

The 75-year-old has repeatedly claimed that his wife had begged him to end her misery.

<h2>A mercy killing</h2>

74-year-old Janice Hunter, as per Sky News, died of asphyxiation at the couple's retirement home near Paphos in December 2021.&nbsp;

At the time, David admitted to killing her but denied it was a murder. He told the Cyprus court that Janice was suffering from blood cancer and had "begged him" to take her life, relieve her of the pain.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/an-18-year-old-mom-tries-to-hire-hitman-to-kill-her-3-year-old-son-arrested-618212">An 18-year-old mom tries to hire hitman to kill her 3-year-old son, arrested</a>

During the trial, while testifying, he reportedly broke down and said he would "never in a million years" have killed Janice unless she didn't ask him to.

"She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend," he exclaimed.

<h2>'Best we could have hoped for'</h2>

Lesley Cawthorne, Janice and David's daughter told Sky News she was relieved that her father has been cleared of murder charges.

"It's the best we could have hoped for in the circumstances, and I really hope the judges can extend their compassion and be lenient in their sentencing."

In June 2022, she told BBC that her mother had been "in absolute agony" in her final months.

As per David, his wife had been begging him to relieve her of the pain&nbsp;for weeks.

"For five or six weeks before she died, she was asking me to help her. She was asking me more every day," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/are-you-a-true-crime-fan-woman-reveals-details-of-her-date-with-alleged-gilgo-beach-serial-killer-618177">'Are you a true crime fan': Woman reveals details of her date with alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer</a>

"In the last week, she was crying and begging me. Every day she asked me a bit more intensely to do it."

He claimed that he kept hoping she will change her mind but that he finally gave in to her pleas and covered her mouth and nose after she got "hysterical". Following this, he also tried to take his own life.

Despite opposition from the defence, the court had allowed his confession, deeming it lawfully obtained.&nbsp;

<h2>Not a pre-planned act</h2>

As per BBC, Hunter's lawyer Michael Polak, the verdict meant there was a "very good chance" his client would receive a suspended sentence and be able to return to the UK to live with his daughter.

"This wasn't a pre-planned act," said Polak, adding that his client "acted on the spur of the moment because she (Janice) was in so much pain."

According to the lawyer, judges also accepted Hunter had a "loving" and "dream" relationship with his wife of more than 50 years and "on that morning she asked him to end her life".

(With inputs from agencies)

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David Hunter, the man who made headlines for killing his terminally ill wife in Cyprus, has been cleared of murder charges. However, on Friday (July 21st), the Cyprus court found Hunter guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter, which as per his daughter is "the best we could have hoped for in the circumstances.

David Hunter, the man who made headlines for killing his terminally ill wife in Cyprus, has been cleared of murder charges. However, on Friday (July 21st), the Cyprus court found Hunter guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter, which as per his daughter is "the best we could have hoped for in the circumstances." He will now be sentenced on 27 July. The 75-year-old has repeatedly claimed that his wife had begged him to end her misery. A mercy killing 74-year-old Janice Hunter, as per Sky News, died of asphyxiation at the couple's retirement home near Paphos in December 2021. At the time, David admitted to killing her but denied it was a murder. He told the Cyprus court that Janice was suffering from blood cancer and had "begged him" to take her life, relieve her of the pain. Also read | An 18-year-old mom tries to hire hitman to kill her 3-year-old son, arrested During the trial, while testifying, he reportedly broke down and said he would "never in a million years" have killed Janice unless she didn't ask him to. "She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend," he exclaimed. 'Best we could have hoped for' Lesley Cawthorne, Janice and David's daughter told Sky News she was relieved that her father has been cleared of murder charges. "It's the best we could have hoped for in the circumstances, and I really hope the judges can extend their compassion and be lenient in their sentencing." In June 2022, she told BBC that her mother had been "in absolute agony" in her final months. As per David, his wife had been begging him to relieve her of the pain for weeks. "For five or six weeks before she died, she was asking me to help her. She was asking me more every day," he said. Also read | 'Are you a true crime fan': Woman reveals details of her date with alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer "In the last week, she was crying and begging me. Every day she asked me a bit more intensely to do it." He claimed that he kept hoping she will change her mind but that he finally gave in to her pleas and covered her mouth and nose after she got "hysterical". Following this, he also tried to take his own life. Despite opposition from the defence, the court had allowed his confession, deeming it lawfully obtained. Not a pre-planned act As per BBC, Hunter's lawyer Michael Polak, the verdict meant there was a "very good chance" his client would receive a suspended sentence and be able to return to the UK to live with his daughter. "This wasn't a pre-planned act," said Polak, adding that his client "acted on the spur of the moment because she (Janice) was in so much pain." According to the lawyer, judges also accepted Hunter had a "loving" and "dream" relationship with his wife of more than 50 years and "on that morning she asked him to end her life". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Man who 'mercy' killed his terminally ill wife cleared of murder charges

Italy's Constitutional Court rejected a request for a referendum on the right to die on Tuesday, even after the initiative's proponents collected more than a million signatures.

Right-to-die advocates in Italy have been trying to force a referendum on the contentious issue in the largely Catholic country where opposition is strong.

They seek to at least partially repeal sanctions against people who assist in the suicide of patients suffering from incurable illnesses or intolerable pain and who have already received palliative care.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/countries-where-euthanasia-assisted-suicide-is-legal-281943">Countries where euthanasia, assisted suicide is legal</a>

The Constitutional Court, however, said that repealing punishments would not safeguard the minimum constitutional standards governing the protection of human life, "particularly for the weak and vulnerable."

"The Constitutional Court's decision must push parliament to approve the law on assisted suicide," Enrico Letta, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), wrote on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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La bocciatura da parte della Corte Costituzionale del referendum sull’ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/eutanasialegale?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#eutanasialegale</a> deve ora spingere il Parlamento ad approvare la legge sul <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/suicidioassistito?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#suicidioassistito</a>, secondo le indicazioni della Corte stessa.
— Enrico Letta (@EnricoLetta) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnricoLetta/status/1493662687263399940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In 2019, the court partially decriminalised assisted suicide under certain conditions with the approval of local health authorities and an ethics committee. Nonetheless, it recommended that parliament should pass a law regulating the practice.

Among the leading advocates of a referendum is Marco Cappato, who said the court's decision was "bad news for those who suffer and will have to (face) even longer unbearable suffering against their will".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/end-of-life-choice-act-28-assisted-deaths-in-first-three-months-of-new-law-451116">'End of life choice act': 28 assisted deaths in first three months of new law</a>

Last year, proponents of the right to die collected more than twice the 500,000 signatures needed to see a referendum approved.

The country's parliament is debating a legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to commit suicide through the public health system and protect doctors from legal action.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Can a person end their own life to escape pain?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-a-person-end-their-own-life-to-escape-pain-371790/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Political parties remain deeply divided on the issue, with the centre-left generally supporting it and the centre-right generally opposing it. The pope has recently condemned assisted suicide, stating that it has no place in medical ethics.

According to a poll by the SWG research group in 2019, 92 per cent of Italians were in favour of allowing assisted suicides and euthanasia. Around 45 per cent said they were in favour of it generally, while 47 per cent said they were in favour in some circumstances.

(With inputs from agencies)

Italy's Constitutional Court rejected a request for a referendum on the right to die on Tuesday, even after the initiative's proponents collected more than a million signatures.

Italy's Constitutional Court rejected a request for a referendum on the right to die on Tuesday, even after the initiative's proponents collected more than a million signatures. Right-to-die advocates in Italy have been trying to force a referendum on the contentious issue in the largely Catholic country where opposition is strong. They seek to at least partially repeal sanctions against people who assist in the suicide of patients suffering from incurable illnesses or intolerable pain and who have already received palliative care. Also read | Countries where euthanasia, assisted suicide is legal The Constitutional Court, however, said that repealing punishments would not safeguard the minimum constitutional standards governing the protection of human life, "particularly for the weak and vulnerable." "The Constitutional Court's decision must push parliament to approve the law on assisted suicide," Enrico Letta, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), wrote on Twitter. La bocciatura da parte della Corte Costituzionale del referendum sull’ #eutanasialegale deve ora spingere il Parlamento ad approvare la legge sul #suicidioassistito, secondo le indicazioni della Corte stessa. — Enrico Letta (@EnricoLetta) February 15, 2022 × In 2019, the court partially decriminalised assisted suicide under certain conditions with the approval of local health authorities and an ethics committee. Nonetheless, it recommended that parliament should pass a law regulating the practice. Among the leading advocates of a referendum is Marco Cappato, who said the court's decision was "bad news for those who suffer and will have to (face) even longer unbearable suffering against their will". Also read | 'End of life choice act': 28 assisted deaths in first three months of new law Last year, proponents of the right to die collected more than twice the 500,000 signatures needed to see a referendum approved. The country's parliament is debating a legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to commit suicide through the public health system and protect doctors from legal action. Watch | Gravitas: Can a person end their own life to escape pain? Political parties remain deeply divided on the issue, with the centre-left generally supporting it and the centre-right generally opposing it. The pope has recently condemned assisted suicide, stating that it has no place in medical ethics. According to a poll by the SWG research group in 2019, 92 per cent of Italians were in favour of allowing assisted suicides and euthanasia. Around 45 per cent said they were in favour of it generally, while 47 per cent said they were in favour in some circumstances. (With inputs from agencies)

'Right-to-die': Italy court refuses to allow euthanasia referendum

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-approves-passive-euthanasia-35189" target="_blank">recognised the right to passive euthanasia</a> for the terminally ill.&nbsp;

The decision was taken by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.&nbsp;

The court&#39;s 538-page judgement included lines from the Amitabh Bachchan film and song Mukkadar ka Sikandar.&nbsp;

Paragraph 47 on page 231 ends with the lines: &quot;Rote hue aate hain sab, hasta hua jo jayega 
Woh mukaddar ka Sikandar jaaneman kehlayega.&quot;

Which translates into: &quot;Everybody comes into this world crying. But he who leaves it laughing is the king of destiny.&quot;&nbsp;

Paragraph 46 ends with a quote from Dr Jonathan Moreno, which says: &quot;Euthanasia, and especially physician-assisted suicide appears as the ultimate post-modern demand for dignity in an era of technologically-mediated death.&quot;&nbsp;

It it is important to understand though that the court has not allowed physician-assisted suicide. What it has allowed is passive euthanasia -- defined as &quot;the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining medical treatment in the knowledge that the person concerned will die.&quot;&nbsp;

Active euthanasia on the other hand is &quot;the ending of a terminally ill person&#39;s life by direct intervention, such as administering a lethal dose of painkilling drugs.&quot;

The court had already allowed passive euthanasia in 2011 the case of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aruna-shanbaug-first-supreme-court-verdict-on-euthanasia-35226" target="_blank">Aruna </a>Shaunbaug. But on Friday it allowed people to make that choice for themselves.&nbsp;

(Aruna had been in a &quot;vegetative state&quot; since she was attacked in 1973 and unable to make any choice for herself.)&nbsp;

On Friday, the Supreme Court said that a terminally-ill patient can write a &#39;living will&#39; that permits doctors to withdraw life support, saying a person with no will to live shouldn&#39;t suffer in a comatose state.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra said passive euthanasia and advance living will are &quot;permissible&quot;.

The bench, also comprising justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan also laid down guidelines as to who would execute the will and how the nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board.

The apex court said that advance directives for terminally-ill patients could be issued and executed by the next friend and relatives of such a person after which a medical board would consider it.

The top court said that the directions and guidelines laid down by it shall remain in force till a legislation is brought on the issue.

The CJI, while reading out the judgement, said that though there were four separate opinions of the bench but all the judges were unanimous that the &#39;living will&#39; should be permitted since a person cannot be allowed to continue suffering in a comatose state when he or she doesn&#39;t wish to live.

The top court had in 2011 recognised passive euthanasia in the Aruna Shanbaug case by which it had permitted withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from patients not in a position to make an informed decision.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, saying safeguards were needed while taking a decision by medical boards to withdraw life support of a terminally-ill patient.

On January 15, 2016, the Centre had said the 241st report of the Law Commission stated that passive euthanasia should be allowed with certain safeguards and there was also a proposed law - Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2006.

Read the full Supreme Court judgement:

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(With inputs from PTI)

 
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'Rote hue aate hain sab, hasta hua jo jayega... Woh mukaddar ka Sikandar jaaneman kehlayega,' the court said in its 112-page judgement

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday recognised the right to passive euthanasia for the terminally ill. The decision was taken by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. The court's 538-page judgement included lines from the Amitabh Bachchan film and song Mukkadar ka Sikandar. Paragraph 47 on page 231 ends with the lines: "Rote hue aate hain sab, hasta hua jo jayega Woh mukaddar ka Sikandar jaaneman kehlayega." Which translates into: "Everybody comes into this world crying. But he who leaves it laughing is the king of destiny." Paragraph 46 ends with a quote from Dr Jonathan Moreno, which says: "Euthanasia, and especially physician-assisted suicide appears as the ultimate post-modern demand for dignity in an era of technologically-mediated death." It it is important to understand though that the court has not allowed physician-assisted suicide. What it has allowed is passive euthanasia -- defined as "the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining medical treatment in the knowledge that the person concerned will die." Active euthanasia on the other hand is "the ending of a terminally ill person's life by direct intervention, such as administering a lethal dose of painkilling drugs." The court had already allowed passive euthanasia in 2011 the case of Aruna Shaunbaug. But on Friday it allowed people to make that choice for themselves. (Aruna had been in a "vegetative state" since she was attacked in 1973 and unable to make any choice for herself.) On Friday, the Supreme Court said that a terminally-ill patient can write a 'living will' that permits doctors to withdraw life support, saying a person with no will to live shouldn't suffer in a comatose state. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra said passive euthanasia and advance living will are "permissible". The bench, also comprising justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan also laid down guidelines as to who would execute the will and how the nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board. The apex court said that advance directives for terminally-ill patients could be issued and executed by the next friend and relatives of such a person after which a medical board would consider it. The top court said that the directions and guidelines laid down by it shall remain in force till a legislation is brought on the issue. The CJI, while reading out the judgement, said that though there were four separate opinions of the bench but all the judges were unanimous that the 'living will' should be permitted since a person cannot be allowed to continue suffering in a comatose state when he or she doesn't wish to live. The top court had in 2011 recognised passive euthanasia in the Aruna Shanbaug case by which it had permitted withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from patients not in a position to make an informed decision. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, saying safeguards were needed while taking a decision by medical boards to withdraw life support of a terminally-ill patient. On January 15, 2016, the Centre had said the 241st report of the Law Commission stated that passive euthanasia should be allowed with certain safeguards and there was also a proposed law - Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2006. Read the full Supreme Court judgement: × (With inputs from PTI)

With quote from Hindi film song, Supreme Court allows passive euthanasia

The Supreme Court on Friday gave a landmark judgment by approving passive euthanasia --&nbsp;recognising terminally ill patient to &#39;die with dignity&#39;.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-approves-passive-euthanasia-35189">Supreme Court approves passive euthanasia, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-approves-passive-euthanasia-35189">recognises</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-approves-passive-euthanasia-35189"> &#39;right to die with dignity&#39;</a>

The term passive euthanasia is used by the Supreme Court of India which basically means withdrawal of artificial medical support system to patients. It is only available to patients who are terminally ill and are at the last stage of their life without any hope of recovery or improvement.

There are two types Euthanasia -- active euthanasia and passive euthanasia.

Also read: &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/euthanasia-debate-35209">Key terms Euthanasia debate you need to know</a>

What&#39;s the difference between active euthanasia and passive euthanasia

Active euthanasia occurs when doctors deliberately do something on humanitarian grounds like injecting a substance in the patient&#39;s body&nbsp;that causes the patient&#39;s death while passive euthanasia is when doctors stop doing something to keep the patient alive like switching off life-support machines or disconnecting feeding tubes.

In passive euthanasia what doctors do is that they&nbsp;alter life support system and let nature take its course.

Another main difference between active and passive euthanasia is the moral debate that surrounds the killing of the patients. Many thinkers consider active euthanasia an immoral practice and consider it to be an equivalent to murdering a person because doctors in a way are assisting&nbsp;the patient to commit suicide.

Active Euthanasia is legal in a handful of countries like Canada, Switzerland etc&nbsp;in comparison to passive euthanasia which is legal in many countries with limitation to specific circumstances and the approval of councillors and doctors or specialists.

There is further sub-categorization of active and passive euthanasia which is voluntarily and involuntarily.

Involuntarily euthanasia is when the consent is directly taken from the patient whereas involuntarily euthanasia is when the patient is unable to give consent for example if the patient is in coma or the patient is a very young baby or the patient is not in an age of making the decision for himself.

There are countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg where active euthanasia is banned but voluntary-active euthanasia is legal.

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Friday gave a landmark judgment by approving passive euthanasia, recognising terminally ill patient to 'die with dignity'

The Supreme Court on Friday gave a landmark judgment by approving passive euthanasia -- recognising terminally ill patient to 'die with dignity'. Also read: Supreme Court approves passive euthanasia, recognises 'right to die with dignity' The term passive euthanasia is used by the Supreme Court of India which basically means withdrawal of artificial medical support system to patients. It is only available to patients who are terminally ill and are at the last stage of their life without any hope of recovery or improvement. There are two types Euthanasia -- active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Also read: Key terms Euthanasia debate you need to know What's the difference between active euthanasia and passive euthanasia Active euthanasia occurs when doctors deliberately do something on humanitarian grounds like injecting a substance in the patient's body that causes the patient's death while passive euthanasia is when doctors stop doing something to keep the patient alive like switching off life-support machines or disconnecting feeding tubes. In passive euthanasia what doctors do is that they alter life support system and let nature take its course. Another main difference between active and passive euthanasia is the moral debate that surrounds the killing of the patients. Many thinkers consider active euthanasia an immoral practice and consider it to be an equivalent to murdering a person because doctors in a way are assisting the patient to commit suicide. Active Euthanasia is legal in a handful of countries like Canada, Switzerland etc in comparison to passive euthanasia which is legal in many countries with limitation to specific circumstances and the approval of councillors and doctors or specialists. There is further sub-categorization of active and passive euthanasia which is voluntarily and involuntarily. Involuntarily euthanasia is when the consent is directly taken from the patient whereas involuntarily euthanasia is when the patient is unable to give consent for example if the patient is in coma or the patient is a very young baby or the patient is not in an age of making the decision for himself. There are countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg where active euthanasia is banned but voluntary-active euthanasia is legal.

Know the difference between active and passive euthanasia!

Desperate to end their suffering, an impoverished Bangladeshi father has begged permission to kill three terminally ill members of his family, sparking a rare debate about euthanasia in a deeply conservative society.

&quot;I have taken care of them for years. I took them to hospitals in Bangladesh and India, I sold my shop to pay for their treatment but now I&#39;m broke,&quot; said Tofazzal Hossain as he describes his years-long struggle to cope with the costs of looking after his two sons and grandson.

&quot;The government should decide what it wants to do with them. They are suffering and have no hope of recovery. I can&#39;t bear it any longer.&quot;

Hossain, a fruit vendor from the rural west of the country, wrote to his local district administration pleading for them to either help care for his loved ones -- who suffer from an incurable form of muscular dystrophy -- or &quot;allow them to be put to death with medicine&quot;, he told AFP.

One of Asia&#39;s poorest countries, Bangladesh lacks any kind of free health care, and medical treatment is often beyond the reach of the tens of millions of inhabitants who live below the poverty line. An estimated 600,000 Bangladeshis suffer from incurable diseases, yet the country has just one palliative care centre and no hospice services.

This leaves few treatment options for Hossain&#39;s sons, aged 24 and 13, and eight-year-old grandson, who are afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. &nbsp;This rare genetic disorder is characterised by progressive muscle degeneration and patients rarely live beyond 30 years of age.

Hossain said his sons were aware of their condition but could do little for themselves, unable to move and confined to their beds. The grandson can still go to the washroom, but his condition is worsening. &quot;I told them about the letter. I told them (about seeking permission for their deaths). They did not take it seriously. Perhaps they did not understand the severity of the situation,&quot; he said.

His eldest son, 24-year-old Mohammad Abdus Sabur, said he spent his days watching television and talking with their father. &quot;I tell father not to worry too much,&quot; he told AFP.

An AFP correspondent&#39;s attempt to ask the son about his father&#39;s desperate appeal was met with stern rebuke from Hossain, who said it would hurt them. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mahbubul Alam, a doctor who has treated the Hossain family, said there was no cure for their condition and they lived in extreme pain. &quot;It&#39;s a humanitarian case. Everyone should come forward (and help).&quot;

&nbsp;

An act of murder

A government official who visited the family after Hossain&#39;s appeal grabbed national headlines said the request was &quot;the plea of a helpless father&quot;.

&quot;He asked for their medical assistance, or permission to kill them. But who will give the permission to kill?&quot; he told AFP. Authorities were trying to find ways to help Hossain bear the cost of their care, the official added.

Their plight has sparked a rarely-seen debate about euthanasia in Bangladesh, where even attempted suicide can land one in prison. So-called &quot;mercy killing&quot; is forbidden both under the secular law of the land, and by religious code adhered to by the Muslim-majority population.&nbsp;

&quot;Euthanasia is completely illegal in Islam. It is the government&#39;s duty to take responsibility for every citizen,&quot; top Islamic cleric and scholar Fariduddin Masoud told AFP.

The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshis not only disapprove of mercy killings but would oppose the mere discussion of it, said Nur Khan Liton, head of local rights group Ain O Salish Kendra. &quot;They consider it an act of murder. It&#39;s the duty of the government and society to look after these victims,&quot; he told AFP.

But sympathy for Hossain&#39;s family has run deep on social media, where many have offered thoughts and prayers amid calls for the government to improve its paltry health services.

Nezamuddin Ahmed, the head of Bangladesh&#39;s sole palliative care centre in the capital Dhaka, said it was time for an &quot;honest discussion&quot; about the issue and improving care for those suffering from incurable diseases.

&quot;I think this will lead to healthy debate about assisted death,&quot; he said. &quot;But before launching into this, the government should strengthen palliative care services here. There has to be something we can all do to ease the suffering of these helpless people.&quot;

(AFP)

'They are suffering and have no hope of recovery. I can't bear it any longer'. Conservative Bangladesh has a rare debate about euthanasia

Desperate to end their suffering, an impoverished Bangladeshi father has begged permission to kill three terminally ill members of his family, sparking a rare debate about euthanasia in a deeply conservative society. "I have taken care of them for years. I took them to hospitals in Bangladesh and India, I sold my shop to pay for their treatment but now I'm broke," said Tofazzal Hossain as he describes his years-long struggle to cope with the costs of looking after his two sons and grandson. "The government should decide what it wants to do with them. They are suffering and have no hope of recovery. I can't bear it any longer." Hossain, a fruit vendor from the rural west of the country, wrote to his local district administration pleading for them to either help care for his loved ones -- who suffer from an incurable form of muscular dystrophy -- or "allow them to be put to death with medicine", he told AFP. One of Asia's poorest countries, Bangladesh lacks any kind of free health care, and medical treatment is often beyond the reach of the tens of millions of inhabitants who live below the poverty line. An estimated 600,000 Bangladeshis suffer from incurable diseases, yet the country has just one palliative care centre and no hospice services. This leaves few treatment options for Hossain's sons, aged 24 and 13, and eight-year-old grandson, who are afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This rare genetic disorder is characterised by progressive muscle degeneration and patients rarely live beyond 30 years of age. Hossain said his sons were aware of their condition but could do little for themselves, unable to move and confined to their beds. The grandson can still go to the washroom, but his condition is worsening. "I told them about the letter. I told them (about seeking permission for their deaths). They did not take it seriously. Perhaps they did not understand the severity of the situation," he said. His eldest son, 24-year-old Mohammad Abdus Sabur, said he spent his days watching television and talking with their father. "I tell father not to worry too much," he told AFP. An AFP correspondent's attempt to ask the son about his father's desperate appeal was met with stern rebuke from Hossain, who said it would hurt them. Mahbubul Alam, a doctor who has treated the Hossain family, said there was no cure for their condition and they lived in extreme pain. "It's a humanitarian case. Everyone should come forward (and help)." An act of murder A government official who visited the family after Hossain's appeal grabbed national headlines said the request was "the plea of a helpless father". "He asked for their medical assistance, or permission to kill them. But who will give the permission to kill?" he told AFP. Authorities were trying to find ways to help Hossain bear the cost of their care, the official added. Their plight has sparked a rarely-seen debate about euthanasia in Bangladesh, where even attempted suicide can land one in prison. So-called "mercy killing" is forbidden both under the secular law of the land, and by religious code adhered to by the Muslim-majority population. "Euthanasia is completely illegal in Islam. It is the government's duty to take responsibility for every citizen," top Islamic cleric and scholar Fariduddin Masoud told AFP. The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshis not only disapprove of mercy killings but would oppose the mere discussion of it, said Nur Khan Liton, head of local rights group Ain O Salish Kendra. "They consider it an act of murder. It's the duty of the government and society to look after these victims," he told AFP. But sympathy for Hossain's family has run deep on social media, where many have offered thoughts and prayers amid calls for the government to improve its paltry health services. Nezamuddin Ahmed, the head of Bangladesh's sole palliative care centre in the capital Dhaka, said it was time for an "honest discussion" about the issue and improving care for those suffering from incurable diseases. "I think this will lead to healthy debate about assisted death," he said. "But before launching into this, the government should strengthen palliative care services here. There has to be something we can all do to ease the suffering of these helpless people." (AFP)

Bangladeshi father seeks mercy killing of sons, grandson

A 17-year-old was euthanised in Belgium, the first minor to do so after the country lifted age restrictions on mercy killings. 
 
The new rules adopted in 2014 allow euthanasia for people of all ages.&nbsp; 
 
The head of the national committee for euthanasia, Wim Distelmans, said a local doctor had reported the case to his committee last week.&nbsp; 
 
He gave no details of the minor beyond saying it was an exceptional case of a child with a terminal illness. 
 
&quot;Fortunately, there are very few children who are considered (for euthanasia) but that does not mean we should refuse them the right to a dignified death,&quot; Wim Distelmans said. 
 
Belgian Senator Jean-Jacques De Gucht advocated in favour of mercy killings and said the teenagers had a right to make a considered choice. 
 
&quot;You cannot compare an adolescent that isn&#39;t being confronted with illness with a young person who is staring at death in its very eyes. So, you have 14-15 years-olds very well aware of the situation they&#39;re in and I think it&#39;s very important that we, as a society, have given the opportunity to those people to decide for themselves in what manner they want to cope with that situation,&quot; he said. 
 
Belgium is the only country in the world that allows euthanasia on terminally-ill children of any age. It gives the minors the right to end their suffering, only if they are conscious and capable of rational decisions. 
 
The Netherlands also allows mercy killings for children, but only for those aged over 12. Luxembourg approved euthanasia but for adults only in 2009. 
 
The mercy killing law in Belgium was amended after a long debate. To undergo euthanasia, the law says a minor must also be in a &quot;terminal medical situation with constant and unbearable physical pain which cannot be assuaged and that will cause death in the short-term.&quot; 
 
The law requires the request to be made by the minor, which would be reviewed by a team of doctors and an independent psychiatrist or psychologist&nbsp;and have parental consent. 
 
But the Belgian legislators had decided not to include psychological suffering in the list of factors determining whether euthanasia may be allowed for minors, though it is admissable for adults. 
 
Since Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002, the number of patients being euthanised rose nearly eight-fold to a total number of 8,752 cases, as per data from the national euthanasia control committee. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

The country lifted age restrictions on mercy killings in 2014

A 17-year-old was euthanised in Belgium, the first minor to do so after the country lifted age restrictions on mercy killings. The new rules adopted in 2014 allow euthanasia for people of all ages. The head of the national committee for euthanasia, Wim Distelmans, said a local doctor had reported the case to his committee last week. He gave no details of the minor beyond saying it was an exceptional case of a child with a terminal illness. "Fortunately, there are very few children who are considered (for euthanasia) but that does not mean we should refuse them the right to a dignified death," Wim Distelmans said. Belgian Senator Jean-Jacques De Gucht advocated in favour of mercy killings and said the teenagers had a right to make a considered choice. "You cannot compare an adolescent that isn't being confronted with illness with a young person who is staring at death in its very eyes. So, you have 14-15 years-olds very well aware of the situation they're in and I think it's very important that we, as a society, have given the opportunity to those people to decide for themselves in what manner they want to cope with that situation," he said. Belgium is the only country in the world that allows euthanasia on terminally-ill children of any age. It gives the minors the right to end their suffering, only if they are conscious and capable of rational decisions. The Netherlands also allows mercy killings for children, but only for those aged over 12. Luxembourg approved euthanasia but for adults only in 2009. The mercy killing law in Belgium was amended after a long debate. To undergo euthanasia, the law says a minor must also be in a "terminal medical situation with constant and unbearable physical pain which cannot be assuaged and that will cause death in the short-term." The law requires the request to be made by the minor, which would be reviewed by a team of doctors and an independent psychiatrist or psychologist and have parental consent. But the Belgian legislators had decided not to include psychological suffering in the list of factors determining whether euthanasia may be allowed for minors, though it is admissable for adults. Since Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002, the number of patients being euthanised rose nearly eight-fold to a total number of 8,752 cases, as per data from the national euthanasia control committee. (WION with inputs from agencies)

First minor euthanised in Belgium

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