A 23-year-old woman is set to testify in a Spanish court today, aiming to convince a judge to allow her to choose voluntary euthanasia, despite opposition from her father. This landmark case marks the first of its kind in Spain’s legal history.
The young woman, who is paraplegic due to injuries inflicted during an attempted suicide in 2022, has gained the backing of the Catalan regional government. In July 2024, a local euthanasia guarantee and evaluation board unanimously supported her request, affirming her right to end her life.
Legal background and familial conflict
Euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a person’s life to alleviate suffering, can be classified as either voluntary or involuntary. In this particular situation, the woman seeks to exercise her right to voluntary euthanasia. Although she was scheduled to undergo the procedure in August, her father successfully intervened, raising legal objections that temporarily halted the process, a move supported by the Christian Lawyers campaign group (Abogados Cristianos).
“I feel misunderstood by my family, I feel alone and empty, this situation causes me a great deal of suffering,”
the woman expressed in documents related to the case that have been cited by Spanish media. Her emotional turmoil underscores the complex interplay between personal autonomy and familial obligation.
Expert testimonies and medical evaluations
The Catalan government’s legal representation has countered the father’s claims by stating, “no evidence of a scientific or expert character has been presented to contradict the many medical reports which support the decision [to die].” In contrast, her father argues that his daughter suffers from a personality disorder that clouds her judgment, emphasizing “the obligation of the state to protect the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable, as is the case with a young person with mental health problems.”
He also asserts that she has shown significant progress in her rehabilitation, which he believes contradicts her decision. His legal team has claimed that the woman has fluctuated in her stance regarding euthanasia, suggesting that her consent is not firmly established.
The public prosecutor has opted not to take a position on the case but has requested that the judge hear expert opinions and the woman’s own testimony before making a final ruling. Among those expected to testify in the Barcelona court today are a member of the euthanasia board that evaluated her case, a neuro-rehabilitation specialist, and a psychiatric expert.
A euthanasia law was enacted in Spain in 2021, but this case is unprecedented, as it brings the matter before a judge for deliberation. In a related incident last year, a magistrate in Barcelona dismissed an appeal from a father contesting his 54-year-old son’s euthanasia, which had been sanctioned by the guarantee and evaluation board.