Spain to reform law to avoid judicial delays in euthanasia cases

The Spanish Parliament is set to review a reform aimed at shortening judicial review periods for euthanasia requests that encounter appeals. This legislative move seeks to streamline the process, particularly in cases where legal challenges have led to significant delays in granting the procedure.

The reform was initiated by the regional parliament of Catalonia, prompted by the case of a young Catalan woman whose euthanasia was delayed for almost two years due to successive judicial appeals filed by her father. The proposed legislation emphasizes that judicial oversight of administrative euthanasia decisions should be as brief as possible, avoiding unnecessary and prolonged suffering for individuals seeking medical assistance to die.

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be as brief as possible and not be extended beyond what is strictly necessary

Legal arguments supporting the reform highlight that such delays impose additional suffering on those who have chosen euthanasia. The bill acknowledges that extending the process can be inhumane for individuals already experiencing unbearable physical or psychological pain. This initiative comes in the wake of public controversy surrounding cases like the aforementioned Catalan woman, which brought the issue of judicial appeals to the forefront.

Recently, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that individuals with a 'particularly close connection' to a person requesting assisted death will be permitted to file judicial appeals. Euthanasia in Spain is regulated as free medical assistance to die for adults suffering from a 'serious and incurable illness' or a 'serious, chronic, and disabling condition' that impacts their autonomy and causes 'constant and intolerable physical or psychological suffering.'

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impose additional suffering on people who request euthanasia.