Frank Van Den Bleeken
Frank Van Den Bleeken is a Belgian serial rapist and murderer who will be allowed to have doctors end his life, having served over 30 years in prison.[1][2] Van Den Bleeken is the first prisoner to be given this right. Fifteen other Belgian inmates have made similar requests.[3] Since the practise was legalised in 2002, around 1,400 Belgians a year have elected to be euthanised. The number increased to over 1,800 in 2013; 67 of these cases were for psychological reasons.[4][5]
In September 2014 Belgium's justice minister confirmed that Van Den Bleeken would be allowed to die. The sisters of his last victim were opposed to the decision, preferring that he be left to "rot in his cell". He had first asked for the right to die three years earlier. According to his lawyer, he was "suffering unbearably" from a psychological condition that doctors agreed was incurable.[4] On 3 January 2015 Belgian media reported that Van Den Bleeken would be euthanised in jail in Bruges on 11 January.[6]
References
- ^ AFP (15 September 2014). "Belgium grants murderer's request for mercy killing". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ "BBC News - Belgian murderer Van Den Bleeken wins 'right to die'". BBC News. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ Charlotte McDonald-Gibson (16 September 2014). "Murderer and rapist Frank Van Den Bleeken granted right to euthanasia rather than the 'unbearable suffering' of life in prison". The Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ a b AP (16 September 2014). "Belgian convicted killer with 'incurable' psychiatric condition granted right to die". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ "Belgium to allow jailed murderer Frank Van Den Bleeken to end his own life". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ Tim Porter (3 January 2015). "Belgian serial rapist and murderer Frank Van Den Bleeken 'to be euthanised' in January". International Business Times. Retrieved 3 January 2015.