Rome Newsroom, Jun 23, 2021 / 12:00 pm
A new bill to legalize assisted suicide in Scotland has been criticized for the impact it may have on the lives of disabled people.
The content of the bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur, is expected to be discussed later this year.
Anthony Horan, the director of the Catholic Parliamentary Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said: “People of all faiths and none oppose assisted suicide because it has a profoundly harmful impact not only on individuals and families affected, but also on vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities.”
“Legalising assisted suicide puts immeasurable pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely, for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden on others, and it undermines efforts to prevent suicide,” he said.