The Human Right to Suicide under International Law. (5th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fellmeth, Aaron; Abourahma, Nourin
• Is Part Of: Human rights law review. Volume 21:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 641
• Page End: 670
• Publication Date: 2021-05-05
• Subjects: suicide -- human rights -- assisted suicide -- right to life -- right to privacy; Human rights -- Periodicals; 341.48105
• DOI: 10.1093/hrlr/ngab010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-7781

Abstract

Abstract: Suicide is a major global public health problem, but rarely is the subject viewed as a human right. With the sole exception of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), no international authority has taken a strong position on whether a human right to suicide exists. Even that court's jurisprudence goes no further than intimating that such a right falls within the scope of the human right to private life. This essay tackles the question of whether there is a human right to suicide under existing international law and, if so, what are its sources and limits. It concludes with an analysis of what obligations, both negative and positive, a right to suicide would impose on the state.