{"id":8625,"date":"2022-05-26T06:29:07","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T06:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adf.uk\/?p=8625"},"modified":"2024-02-16T14:28:34","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T13:28:34","slug":"20-years-euthanasia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia","title":{"rendered":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8625\" class=\"elementor elementor-8625\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ea22329 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ea22329\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1397904\" data-id=\"1397904\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc9ab21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bc9ab21\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n \t<li><strong>Rate of euthanasia in Belgium has increased from 235 lives lost per year (2003), to 7 lives lost per day (2021)<\/strong><\/li>\n \t<li><strong>As Scotland and others consider legalisation, Belgian citizen Tom Mortier challenges Belgium\u2019s law at Europe\u2019s top court after his mother was euthanised for depression without his knowledge<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<strong>LONDON\/BRUSSELS (26 May 2022) &#8211; <\/strong>Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/consultativebodies.health.belgium.be\/en\/advisory-and-consultative-bodies\/federal-commission-control-and-evaluation-euthanasia\">latest official data<\/a> from Belgian authorities.\n\nThe country has been <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/the-legalization-of-euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide\/\">cited<\/a> as an example of a \u201cslippery slope\u201d that concerned parties warn is inevitable with such legislation. Belgium provides a revealing case study for other governments considering similar laws.\n\nFor example, a Private Members Bill is currently pending in Scotland that would legalise &#8220;assisted dying&#8221;. It was announced this week, however, that plans to introduce the bill would be <a href=\"https:\/\/news.stv.tv\/scotland\/assisted-suicide-bill-delayed-after-unprecedented-response-liam-mcarthur-msp-says\">considerably delayed<\/a> due to an \u201cunprecedented\u201d response to the public consultation. Meanwhile, a similar proposal was introduced in the Isle of Mann&#8217;s lower parliamentary house, the House of Keys,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iomtoday.co.im\/news\/health\/allinson-to-introduce-assisted-dying-bill-548151\">\u00a0on 24th May<\/a>.\n\n\u201cA fair and just society cares for its most vulnerable. International law protects everyone\u2019s inherent right to life. It requires countries to protect the inherent dignity and lives of all people, rather than to help end those lives,\u201d said Jean-Paul Van De Walle, legal counsel for ADF International in Brussels, Belgium.\n\n<strong>The &#8220;Slippery Slope&#8221;<\/strong>\n\nThough euthanasia was initially legalized under narrow, \u201cstrict conditions\u201d, updates to the law have seen Belgium become the first and only country in the world to have no lower age limit enforced for children.\n\nBelgian cases have also included instances where patients have been euthanised for psychiatric conditions, including depression.\n\n <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-container brlbs-cmpnt-content-blocker brlbs-cmpnt-with-individual-styles\" data-borlabs-cookie-content-blocker-id=\"youtube-content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-content=\"PGlmcmFtZSB0aXRsZT0iVG9tIE1vcnRpZXIgOiBBZmZpcm0gRGlnbml0eSIgd2lkdGg9IjUwMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyODEiIHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS1ub2Nvb2tpZS5jb20vZW1iZWQvcU9iZy03bTdpX0k\/c3RhcnQ9MiZmZWF0dXJlPW9lbWJlZCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93PSJhY2NlbGVyb21ldGVyOyBhdXRvcGxheTsgY2xpcGJvYXJkLXdyaXRlOyBlbmNyeXB0ZWQtbWVkaWE7IGd5cm9zY29wZTsgcGljdHVyZS1pbi1waWN0dXJlOyB3ZWItc2hhcmUiIHJlZmVycmVycG9saWN5PSJzdHJpY3Qtb3JpZ2luLXdoZW4tY3Jvc3Mtb3JpZ2luIiBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4+PC9pZnJhbWU+\"><div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-preset-c brlbs-cmpnt-cb-youtube\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-thumbnail\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/borlabs-cookie\/1\/yt_qObg-7m7i_I_hqdefault.jpg')\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-main\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-play-button\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-content\"> <p class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-description\">You are currently viewing a placeholder content from <strong>YouTube<\/strong>. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.<\/p> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-provider-toggle\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-show-provider-information role=\"button\">More Information<\/a> <\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-buttons\"> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Unblock content<\/a> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-accept-service role=\"button\" style=\"display: inherit\">Accept required service and unblock content<\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><\/div>\n\nIn 2021, almost one in five who were euthanised were not expected to die naturally in the immediate future.\n\n\u201cSadly, over the years in Belgium, we have seen far too many people end their lives rather than have the care and support that they require to live. In one very moving case \u2013 the only so far that has been brought before a criminal tribunal \u2013 the life of a 38-year-old woman diagnosed with autism, Tine Nys, was tragically ended by euthanasia due to her battle with mental health issues. Surely such vulnerable groups deserve better care and support to live,\u201d continued Van De Walle.\n\nIn a move that Van De Walle says \u201cthreatens\u201d the right to conscientious objection, a 2020 amendment in the law prevents health care institutions from objecting \u2013 by way of general policy or by specific provision \u2013 to euthanasia being practiced within the premises of their institution.\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a85893f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a85893f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\n<strong>Belgium\u2019s law challenged at Europe\u2019s top court<\/strong>\n\nThe controversial euthanasia law is being challenged at the European Court of Human Rights in the case of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/tom-mortier\/\"><em>Tom Mortier v. Belgium.<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>The outcome will have the potential to set a precedent for euthanasia laws across forty-seven European countries, including the United Kingdom.\n\nTom Mortier\u2019s mother was euthanised in 2012, aged 64. Without any prior consultation, Tom Mortier was informed one day after her death, with the explanation that she had been suffering from \u2018untreatable depression\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe big problem in our society is that apparently we have lost the meaning of taking care of each other,\u201d said Tom Mortier.\n\nThe Belgian law specifies that the person must be in a \u2018medically futile condition of constant and unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be alleviated, resulting from a serious and incurable disorder caused by illness or accident.\u2019 Mortier\u2019s mother was physically healthy, and her treating psychiatrist of more than 20 years expressed doubts as to whether she satisfied the requirements of the Belgian euthanasia law. Nonetheless, she was euthanized by an oncologist with no known psychiatric qualifications.\n\n\u201cMy mother had a severe mental problem. She had to cope with depression throughout her life. She was treated for years by psychiatrists and eventually the contact between us was broken. A year later she received a lethal injection. Neither the oncologist who administered the injection, nor the hospital had informed me or any of my siblings that our mother was even considering euthanasia,\u201d he continued.\n\nThe same doctor who euthanised Tom Mortier\u2019s mother co-chairs the Federal Commission which reviews euthanasia cases to ensure the law has been respected. He also leads a euthanasia organization which received a payment from Tom Mortier\u2019s mother in the weeks preceding her death. Despite all this, according to the Belgian government, the Federal Commission saw no issue with letting the euthanasia take place.\n\nTom Mortier is challenging Belgium\u2019s euthanasia law with support from ADF International.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/tom-mortier\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find out more.<\/a>\n\n\u201cThe slippery slope is on full public display in Belgium. Tom Mortier\u2019s case exposes the lie that euthanasia is good for society. International law has never established a so-called \u2018right to die.\u2019 On the contrary, it solidly affirms the right to life \u2013 particularly for the most vulnerable among us,\u201d said Robert Clarke, Deputy Director of ADF International, and lead counsel for Tom Mortier at the European Court of Human Rights in\u00a0<i>Mortier v. Belgium.<\/i>\n\nFind<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/the-legalization-of-euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide\/\">\u00a0more information about euthanasia laws in ADF International\u2019s White Paper.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/the-legalization-of-euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59588b8 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"59588b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n<div class=\"elementor-video\">\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the latest official data from Belgian authorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":23385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[736],"tags":[899,898],"class_list":["post-8625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-free-speech-en-gb","tag-uk-en-gb"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn? - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The rate of euthanasia in Belgium has increased from 235 lives lost per year (2003), to 7 lives lost per day (2021).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the latest official data from Belgian authorities.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ADF International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ADF-Sean_Nelson_400x400-1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philipp Bues\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the latest official data from Belgian authorities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ADF-Sean_Nelson_400x400-1.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@adfintl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@adfintl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Philipp Bues\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Philipp Bues\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141\"},\"headline\":\"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia\"},\"wordCount\":876,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/tom-mortier-header.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"free speech\",\"UK\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia\",\"name\":\"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn? - ADF International\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/tom-mortier-header.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00\",\"description\":\"The rate of euthanasia in Belgium has increased from 235 lives lost per year (2003), to 7 lives lost per day (2021).\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/tom-mortier-header.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/tom-mortier-header.jpg\",\"width\":1919,\"height\":885},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/news\\\/20-years-euthanasia#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/\",\"name\":\"ADF International\",\"description\":\"Protecting Fundamental Freedoms. Promoting Inherent Dignity.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Alliance Defending Freedom International\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png\",\"width\":175,\"height\":106,\"caption\":\"Alliance Defending Freedom International\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/adfinternational\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/adfintl\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/adfinternational\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/adfinternational\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141\",\"name\":\"Philipp Bues\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Philipp Bues\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/adfinternational.org\\\/en-gb\\\/author\\\/pbuesadfinternational-org\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn? - ADF International","description":"The rate of euthanasia in Belgium has increased from 235 lives lost per year (2003), to 7 lives lost per day (2021).","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?","og_description":"Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the latest official data from Belgian authorities.","og_url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia","og_site_name":"ADF International","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational","article_published_time":"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":400,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ADF-Sean_Nelson_400x400-1.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Philipp Bues","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?","twitter_description":"Over 27,000 people have died from euthanasia in Belgium since it was legalised 20 years ago on 28th May 2002, according to the latest official data from Belgian authorities.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ADF-Sean_Nelson_400x400-1.webp","twitter_creator":"@adfintl","twitter_site":"@adfintl","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Philipp Bues","Estimated reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia"},"author":{"name":"Philipp Bues","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141"},"headline":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?","datePublished":"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia"},"wordCount":876,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tom-mortier-header.jpg","keywords":["free speech","UK"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia","name":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn? - ADF International","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tom-mortier-header.jpg","datePublished":"2022-05-26T06:29:07+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-16T13:28:34+00:00","description":"The rate of euthanasia in Belgium has increased from 235 lives lost per year (2003), to 7 lives lost per day (2021).","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tom-mortier-header.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tom-mortier-header.jpg","width":1919,"height":885},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/20-years-euthanasia#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"20 years of euthanasia in Belgium: after almost 30,000 lives lost, what can we learn?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#website","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/","name":"ADF International","description":"Protecting Fundamental Freedoms. Promoting Inherent Dignity.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#organization","name":"Alliance Defending Freedom International","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ADF_Intl_R_RGB_175px.png","width":175,"height":106,"caption":"Alliance Defending Freedom International"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational","https:\/\/x.com\/adfintl","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/adfinternational","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/adfinternational\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/#\/schema\/person\/6b776fc8535453c6aad8a6f9d78e6141","name":"Philipp Bues","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Philipp-Bues-Headshot-150x150.jpg","caption":"Philipp Bues"},"url":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/author\/pbuesadfinternational-org"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}