“세상사 퀴어롭고 정의롭게”…대구퀴어축제 다음달 12일 열린다
The French Constitutional Council recently approved the controversial "death-by-proxy law," which would allow terminally ill patients to choose their own death. If enacted by President Emmanuel Macron, France would become the 12th country to adopt such a system. The council's decision came after a vote on May 14th, recognizing the law's compatibility with constitutional principles and values.
The law allows terminally ill individuals to decide on life-ending medication, provided certain conditions are met. These conditions include the patient being a French national, aged 18 or above, suffering from a serious, incurable illness, experiencing unbearable physical and mental suffering, and having the capacity to make informed decisions.
The process involves medical consultation, alternative treatments, a waiting period, and a confirmation of the patient's willingness to die. If approved, France will join a select group of countries that permit this practice, alongside Switzerland, Canada, Uruguay, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
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- France has become the 12th country to legalize assisted dying, after its constitutional council approved a law allowing terminally ill adults to request medical assistance to end their lives. The law, which was passed by the French parliament in March, was challenged by several groups who argued that it contravened France’s constitution. However, in a 14-3 ruling, the constitutional council said the law, which allows patients with incurable conditions to request a lethal injection, was constitutional. The law will come into force at the end of June, after which terminally ill patients will be able to request assisted dying. President Emmanuel Macron had campaigned for the law, saying it was needed to allow people to die with dignity. The law allows adults who are suffering from incurable illnesses and who are expected to die within two years to request a lethal injection. Patients must also be capable of giving their consent and must be experiencing unbearable physical or psychological suffering. The law does not allow euthanasia, which involves actively ending a person’s life, but rather assisted suicide, where a doctor provides a lethal injection at the patient’s request. France’s Catholic Church has criticized the law, saying it “opens the way to euthanasia”. The issue of assisted dying has been debated in France for decades, with successive governments failing to pass legislation. Macron’s government had faced pressure from some MPs and medical associations to legalize assisted dying. The issue gained renewed attention last year after a Frenchman, Alain Cocq, who had been suffering from muscular dystrophy for 20 years, ended his life in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal. Cocq’s case sparked a national debate on the issue, with many arguing that he should have been allowed to die in France. The law has been welcomed by some patient groups, who say it will allow people to die with dignity. However, others have criticized the law, saying it does not go far enough to help patients who are suffering. The law is expected to affect around 100-200 people in the first year, although some estimates suggest the figure could be higher. The French government has said it will review the law in two years to see if it needs to be amended. The law has been praised by some as a major step forward for patients’ rights. However, others have expressed concerns that it could be open to abuse. The issue of assisted dying is a complex one, and France’s decision to legalize it is likely to have implications for other countries. Several countries, including the UK, are currently debating the issue. The UK’s Royal College of Physicians has recently changed its stance on the issue, saying that it now supports assisted dying. However, the British Medical Association remains opposed to the practice. The debate on assisted dying is likely to continue in the UK and other countries. hani.co.kr
- A 12-year-old British girl has gone missing while on a family trip. The Metropolitan Police Department has issued a public alert. The girl, who is 12 years old and a British national, went missing on the evening of July 29. She was last seen at the Shinjuku district in Tokyo. Her name is Alice Guo, and she is 148cm tall with long black hair. She was wearing a black T-shirt and black shorts at the time of her disappearance. The Metropolitan Police Department has urged anyone with information to come forward. asahi.com
