Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old resident of Barcelona, was left paraplegic due to injuries sustained when she attempted to take her own life in 2022. She initiated a protracted legal process to lawfully obtain the right to euthanasia, aiming to end her severe physical and psychological suffering.
The Catalan government granted her the right to assisted dying in the summer of 2024, but the procedure was suspended at the last minute following legal objections raised by her father, backed by the conservative campaign group Christian Lawyers (Abogados Cristianos). Her father argued that his daughter suffered from a personality disorder affecting her judgment and pointed to "the obligation of the state to protect the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable, as is the case with a young person with mental health problems."
This appeal sparked an 18-month legal battle that concluded when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in Noelia Castillo's favor. On Thursday evening, Christian Lawyers announced on X that Castillo had died by euthanasia. The group stated that her case "highlights the serious flaws" in Spain's euthanasia law.
In an interview with Spanish television earlier this week, Castillo recounted that her father had tried to legally block her decision to die with dignity: "He hasn't respected my decision and never will." She also described her difficult childhood, much of it spent in care homes, and detailed being sexually assaulted by her ex-boyfriend after taking sleeping pills, as well as another incident where she was assaulted by several men in a nightclub.
The 25-year-old said she had always "felt alone" and never doubted her decision to proceed with euthanasia: "Nobody in my family is in favor. I am leaving and you are staying here with all the pain, but what about all the suffering I have endured over the years? I just want to leave in peace and stop the pain. The happiness of a father or a mother or a sister shouldn't precede the happiness of a daughter." Her mother Yolanda said she did not agree with her daughter's decision but "respected" it.
Spain's euthanasia law came into force in 2021. According to government data, 426 requests for assisted dying were granted in 2024, the most recent year available. This marked the first time a case went to court for a judge to decide.
Source: www.bbc.com