Abstract
Criminalising assisted dying is irreconcilable with human dignity and condemns a small number of individuals to significant suffering. Human rights law requires the protection of privacy, but States are given some flexibility in terms of balancing the right to respect for private life with the need to safeguard life itself. The recurring cases of suffering individuals who seek legal recognition of a right to die demonstrate the need for legal change to make the law more compassionate. After introducing conflicting definitions of dignity and the human rights conflict behind a right to die, this article engages with a new idea, which strengthens the claim for the legalisation of assisted dying: relational dignity. While the permissibility of assistance to die is a global issue, this article will specifically focus on England and Wales.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 733–751 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Human Rights Law Review |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2019 |
Profiles
-
Angelika Reichstein
- School of Law - Associate Professor in Constitutional & Administrative Law
Person: Academic, Teaching & Research