April 18, 2024
end of life issues euthanasia

New first for Belgium: prisoner euthanasia

Michael Cook

For the first time, a Belgian prisoner has been euthanased. A man identified as Frank V.D.B, who had spent 20 years in prison for two murders and rapes, died recently. The date is not clear from media reports, but it took place outside the prison. The death only became known because it was revealed by a politician, Senator Louis Ide, who was complaining about the lack of social services in Belgian jails. He seems to have been tipped off by a prison official.

For the first time, a Belgian prisoner has been euthanased. A man identified as Frank V.D.B, who had spent 20 years in prison for two murders and rapes, died recently. The date is not clear from media reports, but it took place outside the prison. The death only became known because it was revealed by a politician, Senator Louis Ide, who was complaining about the lack of social services in Belgian jails. He seems to have been tipped off by a prison official.

The case has provoked a controversy in the media –not over euthanasia but over the violation of the prisoner’s right to privacy. All of the conditions for euthanasia in Belgium were carefully fulfilled: the prisoner had a terminal illness, he had made repeated requests for death, and three doctors had independently ratified the request.

The head of the Belgian prison service defended the system against M Ide’s criticism. “The people on the ground are doing their best and work hard. But it is almost impossible for two people to take proper care of an prisoner. This is a problem in many prisons”, Francis Van Mol told the media.

Another prisoner — been in jail for 27 years for two murders — has also asked for euthanasia. His request has not been approved yet.

Euthanasia for prisoners obviously poses significant moral dilemmas. Belgium’s euthanasia laws were written for people who are not incarcerated and living completely under government control. However euthanasia activist Philip Nitschke anticipated this situation and praised it as possibly “the last frontier in prison reform” in his 2005 book Killing Me Softly. The latest development seems to suggest that Belgium is becoming the world leader in innovative application of euthanasia laws. Last year Belgian surgeons revealed that they had been harvesting organs obtained from persons who had requested euthanasia. ~ RTL, Sept 13  

Michael Cook
Creative commons
Belgium
euthanasia
prisons

Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)
In,

More Stories