Belgium’s liberal euthanasia laws are in a fatal conflict with the beliefs of Catholic care homes (photo credit: Action Life)
A Catholic care home in Belgium has been prosecuted for preventing a patient from being euthanised by doctors.
The St Augustine Rest Home in Diest refused to allow doctors to give cancer sufferer Mariette Buntjens a lethal injection.
A civil court ordered the home to pay 6,000 euros for causing Buntjens “unnecessary mental and physical suffering” after Buntjens’ family sued the nursing home. St Augustine’s say the 74-year-old died naturally “in peaceful surroundings”.
The fine resulted from a Belgian law which states that only medical professionals are allowed to refuse euthanasia requests. The case could lead to other Catholic care homes in Belgium closing.