Euthanasia: Italian PierGiorgio Welby, a man with degenerative muscular dystrophy wants to be allowed to die.

A court in Rome is due to discuss the case of a man with degenerative muscular dystrophy who wants to be allowed to die. Piergiorgio Welby, now aged 60, stopped walking at 33, talking at 40 and feeding himself at 50. Now he can only move his eyes. He is asking for the machines which have kept him alive since 1997 to be unplugged. Welby's lawyers claim this does not constitute euthanasia, which is illegal in Italy, but rather an end to his artificial life support. In an open letter to the national press, Welby described his body as a "vile prison". The case has taken on political overtones in Italy. (Photo by Maurix/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
A court in Rome is due to discuss the case of a man with degenerative muscular dystrophy who wants to be allowed to die. Piergiorgio Welby, now aged 60, stopped walking at 33, talking at 40 and feeding himself at 50. Now he can only move his eyes. He is asking for the machines which have kept him alive since 1997 to be unplugged. Welby's lawyers claim this does not constitute euthanasia, which is illegal in Italy, but rather an end to his artificial life support. In an open letter to the national press, Welby described his body as a "vile prison". The case has taken on political overtones in Italy. (Photo by Maurix/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Euthanasia: Italian PierGiorgio Welby, a man with degenerative muscular dystrophy wants to be allowed to die.
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Credit:
MAURIX / Contributor
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955367922
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Gamma-Rapho
Date created:
12 December, 2006
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