Legality of euthanasia

The Turkish parliament ratified a controversial bill regarding the handling of stray dogs early July 30 following hours-long debates amid criticism and protests.

The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) 17-article proposal was endorsed by the general assembly after 28 hours of deliberation over two days, after it garnered commission approval last week.

In the past two years, Spain, Austria, and New Zealand have made euthanasia and assisted suicide legal

Lawmakers in Spain have voted to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, making it only the fifth country globally to make the practice legal after the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Canada.

The law will come into force in three months' time after the landmark vote passed in the lower house of the Spanish parliament by 202 votes to 141, with two abstentions.

The authorities in New Zealand have voted to legitimize euthanasia, paving the way for the issue to be brought to a referendum by next year, BGNES reported.

The law allowing terminally ill people to claim medically assisted death was passed by 69 to 51 votes in its last reading ending years of heated parliamentary debate on the topic.

An elderly woman suffering from cancer has become Australia's first resident to benefit from the right to euthanasia, ABC reported, quoted by NOVA.

In June, legislation to legalize euthanasia came into force in Victoria in Australia. Victoria became the first state in the country to legalize euthanasia.

In the draft of the Civil Code there is a proposal for the legalization of euthanasia in Serbia.