Controversies Surrounding The Legal Status Of Euthanasia:An Absence Of Consensus Between The Proponents And The Opponents

The Euthanasia debate has, since the time immemorial, been one of the most controversial topicswithin the international community. The differing opinions centers on two fundamental concepts: the right to life and the right to die.The controversy on thisfundamental issue cuts across a wide range of complex and dynamic aspects, such as legal, medical, political, religious, socialand ethical aspects of the civilized society. While some European countries might have authorized it in order to alleviate the suffering of people with incurable or debilitating diseases or unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement, it has been rejected by a large number of countries upholding the sanctity of life. This study, therefore, examines the legal status of Euthanasia or mercy killing in different countries, such as the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates(U.A.E). The paper also discusses the position of euthanasia in the context of the European Court of Human Rights and International law with a view to articulating legal, political and socio-ethical viewpoints