Belgium Euthanasia: Country’s first mercy killing of a minor after amended law in 2014

A terminally ill child has becomethe first minor to be euthanised in Belgium since agerestrictions on such mercy killings in the country were liftedin 2014, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Since its euthanasia legislation was amended in 2014, Belgium has been the only country in the world that allows children of any age, as long as they are able to make rational decisions and are in the last stages of an incurable disease, to choose to end their suffering.

The head of the federal euthanasia commission gave nodetails of the minor beyond saying it was an exceptional caseof a child with a terminal illness, the Het Nieuwsbladreported.

“Fortunately there are very few children who areconsidered (for euthanasia) but that does not mean we shouldrefuse them the right to a dignified death,” Wim Distelmanstold the newspaper.

The Netherlands also allows mercy killings for children,but only for those aged over 12.

The Belgian amendment, which was passed after heateddebate - notably over the meaning of a required “capacity ofdiscernment” - offers the possibility of euthanasia tochildren “in a hopeless medical situation of constant andunbearable suffering that cannot be eased and which will causedeath in the short term”.

Any request for euthanasia must be made by the minor, bestudied by a team of doctors and an independent psychiatristor psychologist and have parental consent.