Court orders release of euthanasia letter signatories

On Thursday, a court in The Hague ordered the public prosecution service (OM) to release the names of 14 prominent doctors who signed a letter advocating for an investigation into the case of Milou, a 17-year-old who died by euthanasia in 2023. Milou's parents, who endured death threats after the letter was leaked, sued to obtain the names of the medical professionals who penned the letter.

The OM had initially refused to provide the names, citing privacy concerns. However, the judges in The Hague deemed it "unreasonable" to deny the information to the parents, who have a "compelling interest" in the matter. The parents could opt to take disciplinary or civil legal action against the doctors. Milou had been suffering from mental health issues since the age of 11 due to sexual abuse, and she was further abused in an institution by another patient.

After numerous treatment attempts and suicide attempts, she chose euthanasia at 17 due to unbearable mental suffering. The psychiatrist who approved her decision followed the guidelines, as confirmed by the regional euthanasia review committee (RTE). The committee reviews all euthanasia procedures to ensure proper adherence to guidelines and reports back to the OM.

The OM now has five days to hand over the names. DutchNews.com, which provides this information free of charge, relies on reader donations to continue its operations and report on important Dutch news.