Christian association helps father prevent euthanasia of 23-year-old daughter in Barcelona

The Barcelona Instructional Court in Catalonia has banned the euthanasia of a 23-year-old woman scheduled for Friday following a request from her father who questioned her decision-making capacity, according to the newspaper ConfidentiallyA three-day period has been opened for filing charges.

At the request of the girl’s father, the Abogados Cristianos association filed a petition with the court asking for the assisted death to be stopped, as it considered that the requirements set by the law governing euthanasia had not been met in this case. This is because the young woman is a “particularly vulnerable person” with a number of mental disorders and a tendency to self-harm.

“In this case, mental disorders, including suicidal ideation, paranoid ideation and bipolar disorder, may affect your ability to make a free and informed decision about euthanasia. Serious mental illness may affect your judgment and ability to adequately evaluate available options,” the application reads.

The young woman is hospitalized at the Sant Camil Residential Hospital in Sant Pere de Ribes. He currently uses a wheelchair because he attempted suicide in 2022 by jumping from the fifth floor.

The Christian association says euthanasia cannot be a solution in such a case and calls on the state to guarantee the young woman adequate treatment.

“They have an obligation to provide the girl with all the necessary treatment to alleviate her suffering, but in this case what is happening is that a 23-year-old person suffering from serious illnesses is forced to resort to euthanasia without complying with legal requirements,” explained Polonia Castellanos, president of Abogados Cristianos.