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Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse in Mumbai, has been paralysed
and in a coma since she was attacked by a rapist in
November of 1973. Journalist Pinki Virani has written a
book on Shanbaug, and has filed a petition with the
Supreme Court of India to "forthwith ensure that no food
is fed" to Shanbaug. The Supreme Court has asked for a
report on Shanbaug's condition from the Mumbai hospital
and the government of Maharashtra. Some observers think
this may signal a change in the Court's forceful
protection of all human life under all circumstances.
Virani's petition says: "This continued vegetative
existence devoid of any human dignity is not life at all
and putting mashed food in her mouth only amounts to
violation of human dignity." "The continued vegetative
existence of Aruna is a violation of her right to live
with dignity. In other words, she has a right to not be
in this kind of sub-human condition."
[Some notes on other topics are in the Notes section
below.]
[Note: Some other recent stories related to this topic
are in the Links: section below.]
To read the full article click on one of these links, both of which go to the same destination. A short link is provided for the convenience of readers. Also, readers may search and browse past advisories on the web (see bottom.)
India: Euthanasia plea sparks off debate among docs
[Times of India]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Euthanasia-plea-sparks-off-debate-among-docs/articleshow/5345567.cms
These are interviews about the case of Aruna
Shanbaug. First, with Dr Surendra Dhelia, member
of the The Society for the Right to Die with
Dignity India (SRDD), who reports on Society
progress: "At every consecutive seminar or
meet we organise, we feel more and more people are
understanding the cause." And then with Dr Nagraj
Huilgol, cancer specialist at Nanavati Hospital
and the society's secretary, who explains the
circumstances of this situation: "She has
no living will that says she would have preferred
assisted dying rather than living on
support. There is no power of attorney that
bestows on someone the right to decide for her. It
certainly complicates matters."
SC admits paralysed sexual assault victim's plea to end life
[Times of India]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-admits-sexual-assault-victims-plea-to-end-life/articleshow/5345791.cms
The plight of a 61-year-old women, who
suffered a brutal sexual assault 36 years ago and
Mumbai hospital ever since, has moved the Supreme
Court into setting aside its pro-life stance and
examining the woman-F¢s plea that her life be-A
ended.
India: a painful and heart-breaking story
[DNA India]
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_mercy-killing_1324794
The editors write: What the Supreme Court
will have to decide whether the condition of Aruna
has deteriorated over the years and offering care
to keep her alive is no more a merciful deed.
India split over euthanasia in a case involving a woman in coma for the past 36 years
[AsiaNews.it]
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=17149&size=A
AsiaNews brings the Roman Catholic view of the
situation, quoting Mgr Thomas Dabre, bishop of
Pune and president of the Bishops' Commission on
Doctrine.
Biswas, Soutik. "India court admits plea to end life of rape victim". BBC News. Page last updated at 08:27 GMT, Thursday, 17 December 2009. <news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8417549.stm>. BBC News, Television Centre, Wood Lane, London W12 7RJ.
Tags (or keywords) briefly indicate some major topics of the report.
food and water
hospital
court decision
euthanasia
India
USA: New Final Exit Network's newsletter discusses law on helping to die
[Assisted-Suicide Blog, Derek Humphry]
http://assistedsuicide.org/blog/2009/12/16/new-final-exit-networks-newsletter-discusses-law-on-helping-to-die/
Derek Humphry writes: For an update on the
legal position of the 8 volunteers of the Final
Exit Network facing prosecutions in Georgia and
Arizona read the December 09 issue, just out, of
the Final Exit Network's newsletter on the web at
this link:
http://www.finalexitnetwork.org/Newsletters-12-09-on/Final_Exit_Newsletter_Vol_6_No_1-3%20for%20Web.pdf.
In the 12 page newsletter, Robert Rivas, the
Network Legal Advisor, explains that there is no
legal precedent for the charges.
2009 Annual Report of the Death with Dignity National Center
[Death with Dignity National Center]
http://www.deathwithdignity.org/2009/12/17/2009-annual-report/
The 2009 Annual Report of the Death with Dignity
National Center has just been released. The 11
page PDF document is available from this page.
The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid200912179710.
Mailed: Thursday, December 17, 2009 14:41:41 -0600
at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
EuthaNEWSia is a free Canadian news advisory service covering end-of-life issues such as right to die, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. EuthaNEWSia is produced by the Right to Die Society of Canada which works toward a good death for all, including open, regulated and equitable access to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The editor is Michael Dawson <editor@euthanewsia.ca>.
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