The Right to Dignified Death: A Comparative Legal Discussion of Euthanasia and Assisted Termination of Life

Abstract

The discussion of legal aspects of euthanasia and assisted termination of life has been going on for many years. It touches upon complex topics such as legal, moral, health, religious or societal issues. In terms of human rights, it focuses primarily on juxtaposing the right to life with other rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to decide for oneself, or freedom from torture and inhumane treatment. At the level of international law, the European Court of Human Rights has not decided to establish uniform standards for the protection of the right to life regarding euthanasia and assisted termination of life, allowing the application of the principle of freedom of assessment by the signatory states of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The consequence of this is the establishment by individual countries of non-uniform legal regulations, which leads to a differentiation in the legal situation of their citizens. The purpose of this article is to determine whether it is possible to derive a universal right to dignified death, and what the consequences of a lack of an international standard on legal regulations in the field of euthanasia and assisted termination of life are for the protection of human rights.