Avustettua itsemurhaa koskeva valitus EIT:n suuren jaoston tutkittavaksi

Euroopan ihmisoikeustuomioistuimen suuren jaoston paneeli on hyväksynyt yhden valituksen suuren jaoston käsiteltäväksi. Kyse on jutusta, jossa EIT:n jaosto oli päätynyt katsomaan Sveitsin lainsäädännön tältä osin olleen puutteellinen.

EIT:n lehdistötiedotteesta:

The applicant, Alda Gross, is a Swiss national who was born in 1931 and lives in Greifensee (Switzerland). For a number of years, she has wanted to end her life. Although not suffering from any clinical illness, she submits that she is over 80 and unwilling to continue suffering the decline of her physical and mental faculties. Having unsuccessfully attempted to find a doctor willing to issue the prescription required to obtain a lethal dose of sodium pentobarbital, she applied to the Health Board, which rejected her request to be provided with the drug in a decision eventually upheld by the courts in April 2010.

Ms Gross complains that by denying her the right to decide by what means and at what point her life would end the Swiss authorities breached Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

In its Chamber judgment of 14 May 2013 the Court held, by a majority, that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention. It held in particular that Swiss law, while providing the possibility of obtaining a lethal dose of a drug on medical prescription, did not provide sufficient guidelines ensuring clarity as to the extent of this right. This uncertain situation was likely to have caused Ms Gross a considerable degree of anguish. At the same time, the Court did not take a stance on the question of whether she should have been granted the possibility to acquire a lethal dose of medication allowing her to end her life.

On 7 October 2013 the case was referred to the Grand Chamber at the request of the
Government.

Koko lehdistötiedote suuren jaoston paneelin ratkaisuista löytyy täältä: Press release

Aikaisempi asiaa koskeva uutinen löytyy täältä: EIT: Sveitsin lainsäädäntö avustetun itsemurhan osalta ei ole riittävän selvä