Euthanasia bill passed in PortugalImage Credit source: AFP
Euthanasia Allowed in Portugal: For a long time there has been a debate in many countries of the world whether ‘euthanasia’ will be an ethical process, which does not prove to be a violation of human rights? After several years of struggle, another country has joined the ranks of those who have legalized euthanasia. name of this country Portugal Is. Just like other countries of the world are embroiled in the debate on whether euthanasia should be recognized or not, this issue was giving rise to different thoughts in Portugal as well.
There too, debates were going on about this for a long time. In the end, the result was that Portugal will now help its citizens in legal euthanasia. Provided that the age of the euthanasia seeker is 18 years or above. According to a Guardian report, the European country Portugal has recognized a complex process like euthanasia in its legal garb. The Portuguese Parliament has put its final stamp on this.
These victims will get help from the new law
This new law on last Friday is expected to help those victims, who were forced to die by suffocation moment by moment due to various complicated diseases. He started feeling bad about life and good about death. Even after this suffering, but since there was no legal provision for euthanasia in the country. That’s why even after suffering unbearable pain, people could not get rid of life on their own free will. If they had tried to do so, they would have been called illegal and, according to Portuguese law, accused of suicide.
Conservative President opposed this law
Now every adult Portuguese has got the legal right to get euthanasia, who, for some valid reasons, wants to go ahead of his life and embrace death under compulsion. So that he can at least get relief from physical, mental-social sufferings by dying. It is important to mention here that when the Portuguese government was engaged in the exercise of implementing this law, then the conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lodged a strong protest.
They are religious in nature and have been considering euthanasia more than any ‘sin’ or ‘crime’. Since quite the contrary, most of the Portuguese people were in favor of bringing this law. Therefore, despite the opposition of the President, the government got the law passed in the Parliament to give legal recognition to euthanasia. However, legal aid regarding euthanasia will be given only to those people who are suffering from permanent and intolerable pain.
Question on the misuse of this law!
Along with this, the person taking the decision of euthanasia will also declare himself mentally healthy. Because euthanasia is someone’s legal right, but some people may start taking illegal advantage of it for their selfishness. The danger of this has also arisen as soon as this new law is approved by the Parliament. Only natives or legal residents of Portugal will be entitled to take the help of this law. No foreigner will be entitled to come here and avail the facility of euthanasia legally.
This bill got consent four times in 3 years
According to reports, the Portuguese government had given its assent to the euthanasia bill four times in the last three years. But every time it used to hang in the balance due to strong opposition from the President of the country. Saying that the constitutional review of the draft of this law should be done first and then send it to the President for his final approval. Instead, the government thought it more appropriate to get this law passed in the Parliament and got it done. Due to which the intervention of the President of Portugal, which was becoming an obstacle in the middle, was ignored.
Isabel Moreira, a supporter of the law legalizing euthanasia, said that we are ratifying the law which has already been approved by the majority. Now that the bill has already been passed in the Parliament. So the President of the country himself can announce it anytime.