The Right to Die With Dignity in Serbia

Jovanović, Slađana (2020) The Right to Die With Dignity in Serbia. In: Yearbook. No. 3, Human rights protection : the right to human dignity / [editor Zoran Pavlović]. Provincial Protector of Citizens - Ombudsman ; Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, Novi Sad ; Belgrade, pp. 533-550. ISBN 978-86-89417-12-8

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Abstract

The author poses the questions: Who is entitled to the right to life: an individual or, society/state has some share in it, especially considering the right to choose when and how to die? Do terminally ill patients have an obligation to live in pain and suffering, losing self-esteem, and dignity? They need to commit suicide, or there should be more appropriate way to die with dignity (especially, when they are not capable to end life by themselves, due to severe, terminal illness)? The paper deals with the end-of-life issues such as (assisted) suicide and euthanasia, emphasising the state of play in Serbia, especially the Civil Code Draft provisions on right to dignified death. Author points out that despite raising awareness that there is a real need to regulate end-of-life issues, it is obvious that states (like Serbia), and international institutions keep on avoiding clear answers. These problems remain covered by silence and widespread but ungrounded fear of abuse, along with secret practice. The gap between present ineffective prohibitions and actual uncontrolled practice ought to be overcome by improved legislative solutions. The paper has made a small step forward on the way of making euthanasia legal in Serbia, thus offering to those who suffer to die with dignity (preventing “death tourism”, suicide, and different illegal practices).

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