Italian Filmmaker In The Pro-Death Tank

You know the world is messed up when prominent members of the media go so far as to imply that killing the disabled is OK. Frightening.

Pro-euthanasia Italian filmmaker admits that Italy is too Catholic to legalize killing of disabled

An Italian filmmaker responsible for a recently released movie on the starvation of comatose patient Eluana Englaro has given an interview to the French Press Agency lamenting that it’s impossible to legalize the killing of the disabled in Italy, because of the influence of the Catholic faith.

“When the power of Catholics is so strong, as is the case in Italy, it’s almost impossible to promote a more secular law” allowing euthanasia, Marco Bellocchio told the AFP, and noted by way of illustration that “living will” legislation has stalled in the Italian parliament. more

Italian Film About Euthanasia

Here’s the latest media foray into the current assisted suicide/euthanasia debate – this time from Italy.

Venice film relives euthanasia case that split Italy

A 2009 right-to-die case that deeply split public opinion in Catholic Italy is at the center of a new film exploring the themes of euthanasia, suicide and religious faith that is vying for top prize at the Venice festival.

"Bella Addormentata", which translates as Sleeping Beauty, is set in the final days of Eluana Englaro, a 38-year old woman who had been in a coma since a car crash 17 years earlier and became a household name in Italy when her father decided to suspend artificial nutrition. more

Italian Lower House Intervenes In Euthanasia Debate

Good for the Italian politicos - starvation and dehydration are NOT medical treatments and should not be used to kill people.

Italian lower house votes to ban euthanasia

The lower house of Italy’s parliament has voted to prohibit the starvation and dehydration of patients in a move that is seen as a response to the killing of Eluana Englaro in 2009. more

Italy Slaps Down The Dutch Penchant For Killing

Good for Italy. A Dutch husband and his wife, who is in a persistently nonresponsive state, live in Italy. He’s trying to kill her under Dutch law, but, commendably, the Italians aren’t biting.

Dutch euthanasia directive doesn’t travel

What is the validity of a written "euthanasia directive" that details a Dutch citizen's wish to die for authorities in another European country? Answer: it has no validity, at least not in Italy. De Volkskrant recounts the story of a Dutch-Italian Anne Busato (age 63), who has remained in a vegetative state following a stroke in 2009. Twenty years ago Ms Busato went to the trouble of writing a request that she be removed from life support in the event of a persistent vegetative state or irreversible coma. However, her husband has not been able to obtain permission to carry out her wishes. The euthanasia law that applies in the Netherlands, does not apply for Dutch citizens living abroad. “The Italians believe that euthanasia is murder. They say that in the Netherlands, we kill all kinds of sick people, sometimes even babies,” explains her husband to Volkskrant. To bring his wife back to the Netherlands, he has taken a case to the Hague to be recognised as her legal guardian, but Italy refuses to acknowledge the court ruling. more