13 May 2013
Most Anglicans, Catholics, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs back change in law, but majorities of Muslims and Baptists do not. Large majorities of believers are in favour of legalising assisted dying. Photograph: Alamy A major survey of religious opinion shows that large majorities of believers are in favour of legalising assisted dying. The poll, carried out by YouGov for the Westminster Faith Debates and involving nearly 4,500 people, reveals that only among Muslims and Baptists are there… read more »
23 February 2012
David Pollock writes: The Vatican news agency proclaimed: “A decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to pass a resolution that calls for the prohibition of euthanasia, is being hailed as a major pro-life victory.” European Dignity Watch, under a headline “Council of Europe bans Euthanasia” hailed “a major victory for life and dignity of the weakest”. The European Centre for Law and Justice hailed a “Major Victory for Life in… read more »
22 September 2009
The Dutch Humanist broadcasting foundation HUMAN has made a film about voluntary euthanasia for those with mental illness. Even in countries with euthanasia laws there are problems over how to apply them and the question of euthanasia in the case of mental illness is particularly difficult: here is a film that tackles the subject sensitively. HUMAN write to the EHF as follows: The documentary pays attention to the lack of help for people with a… read more »
4 October 2002
EHF press release The European Humanist Federation (EHF) states emphatically that the recommendation passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on June 26, 1999, was based on an introductory report by Mrs. Edeltraud Gatterer who is personally totally opposed to any recognition of the legitimacy of euthanasia. It affirmed that euthanasia contradicted Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and compared it to the death penalty. This report is unilateral… read more »
The great majority of Humanists and Secularists support legal provision for voluntary euthanasia or assisted dying subject to necessary safeguards in circumstances where people are suffering unendurable pain or loss of faculties and there is no hope of cure or improvement. Since we hold that this is the only life we have and that we are not beholden to any deity, we see it as essentially a personal decision whether or not to accept help to… read more »
31 December 2000
EHF strongly protested in a press release after the publication by the Council of Europe of a declaration regarding euthanasia: Mrs E. Gatterer (Austria, EPP/CD), Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Rapporteur on euthanasia, has declared in a press release that the law on euthanasia adopted by the Dutch Parliament is contrary to the European Human Rights Convention. Article 2 of this international convention states that “no one shall be deprived of his life intentionally”. Mrs…. read more »
28 June 1999
The Council of Europe discredits itself (EHF press release) The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, meeting on Friday, June 25, 1999 in Strasbourg, adopted a report by Mrs Gatterer, Austrian parliamentary member of the EPP, concerning euthanasia.This report brings shame on the Council of Europe for its lack of impartiality and objectivity. Contrary to the the Council of Europe’s practice of respect for plurality of opinion, the report takes into account only the… read more »
1 June 1999
This appeal to non-Catholic Belgian members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was sent in June 1999. As you know, the next meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be held in Strasbourg from 21 to 25 June. On the agenda for the assembly there figures on Friday, June 25, discussion followed by a vote on document 8421 on the “protection of the human rights and dignity of… read more »
31 October 1995
by Georges Liénard on behalf of the EHF – October 1995 Albert Jacquard insisted recently, like many biologists, on the continuum of life. Life is a natural and continuous process which continues without a break. It is only in our perception, with our wish to distinguish stages in this process, that we talk about the life of a bacterium, a plant, animal or a man. The death of each of these entities, which is the… read more »