AN attempt to widen Jersey’s newly approved assisted-dying law to include people experiencing “unbearable suffering” has been decisively rejected by the States Assembly, just weeks after Members backed the landmark legislation.
Introducing a right to choose an assisted death in cases of unbearable suffering had been one of the options discussed during the process to bring in the new law, but this route was rejected after a previous debate, with Members choosing to restrict the choice to those expected to die within six months, or 12 months for those with neuro-degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease.
The mover of the proposition, Reform Jersey’s Deputy Geoff Southern, said that as well as believing it was the right thing to extend islanders’ right to choose, he believed the more narrow law passed by the States Assembly last month could leave Jersey open to legal challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights.
But others were critical of Deputy Southern’s timing in lodging the proposition for debate just a fortnight after the landmark vote, contributing to fears of a “slippery slope” process by which the law would be extended.
Health Minister Tom Binet said that he had been personally disappointed, as a supporter of assisted dying, that the unbearable suffering option had been rejected in a previous vote in May 2024, but said he felt it was important to respect the democratic decision taken in order to avoid undermining public confidence.
“At the very least, we need to allow time for the new law to be introduced and to show that the safeguards work,” he said. “We have committed to review the law after three years, and that would be an appropriate time to consider this.”
Constable David Johnson said that there was a risk of jeopardising the respect for the decision to bring in assisted dying under the more narrow definition.
While the May 2024 debate saw 19 Members vote in favour of including an unbearable suffering option, and 27 voting against the move, Deputy Southern’s recent proposition suffered a heavier defeat – 34 votes to eight – following a discussion that lasted just under an hour. All Reform Jersey members voted in favour, apart from Deputy Catherine Curtis, who voted contre, and Deputy Raluca Kovacs, who was absent due to illness.
