Citizen’s Jury backs euthanasia, assisted suicide in Jersey
Assisted Suicide
Ajury of islanders in Jersey has voted in favour of legislating assisted suicide and euthanasia.
The Citizens’ Jury on Assisted Dying, established by the Government of Jersey earlier this year, voted by a margin of 8 in 10 to allow people over the age of 18 who are terminally ill or suffering unbearably to have help to commit suicide, or be euthanised by doctors.
It is the first time that such an exercise in a UK territory has been carried out. A fuller report by the Assembly is expected in September. Jersey’s Government will then lodge a proposal in the States Assembly to pave the way for legal assisted suicide.
Today, critics of the move pointed out that voting by citizens in Jersey was not properly informed. Professor Katherine Sleeman, an expert in palliative medicine at King’s College London, Tweeted:
“Can’t find any info on what safeguards were discussed - perhaps the deliberations assumed safety? (big assumption). Anyway, I am oddly (because I don’t support legalisation of AD) encouraged by the findings - laws based on arbitrary boundaries are illogical and unworkable.”
James Mildred, Chief Communications Officer at CARE, commented:
“Many in Jersey see this consultation as a tick box exercise. The Government in Jersey is already in favour of ‘assisted dying’. As are local media representatives. What’s really chilling about this is the lack of detail. Citizens didn’t know what they were voting for, and it’s anyone’s guess what kind of safeguards – if any – would be included in an assisted suicide law. CARE will continue to monitor the situation in Jersey and highlight the dangers posed by assisted suicide and euthanasia.”
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Citizen’s Jury backs euthanasia, assisted suicide in Jersey