A high-profile court case is unfolding in Barcelona over the use of the euthanasia law. Two members of the commission that approved the procedure for a 24-year-old woman named Noelia are now under investigation. The case stems from a complaint filed by the organization Abogados Cristianos, which alleges that the specialists broke the law by processing documents irregularly and overstepping their authority.
The legal proceedings began after a judge from Barcelona’s twentieth investigative court accepted a lawsuit regarding possible falsification of official documents and abuse of office. Both commission members must now provide explanations before an administrative court. The judge did not disclose details, simply ordering that all aspects of the case be thoroughly investigated.
Allegations and plaintiffs’ position
Abogados Cristianos claims that both specialists, who were part of the Cataluña Commission for Guarantees and Evaluation, allegedly intentionally opposed the initial decision to bring the matter before the full commission. As a result, Noelia’s fate was determined by a group vote, in which all 19 members supported granting the right to euthanasia. The plaintiffs believe the doctors’ actions were aimed at bypassing established procedures, and that their report was falsified.
The head of the organization, Polonia Castellanos, has publicly declared her intention to seek the annulment of the decision to allow assisted death. She believes that the specialists who acted as alternate members of the commission broke the law by falsifying the report. However, according to people familiar with the situation, the doctors were only trying to strengthen the patient’s safeguards by bringing the matter before the full commission.
Noelia’s case and how it has unfolded
Noelia, who suffers from severe paralysis, ended up in this condition after a suicide attempt in 2022. According to the commission’s findings, she lives with constant pain, a high degree of dependence, and chronic suffering that make her life unbearable. During one court hearing, she admitted that every day is a torment for her.
Although the commission recognized Noelia’s right to euthanasia, the decision was contested in court. The first court permitted the procedure and set the date for August 2, 2024. However, the intervention of Abogados Cristianos, representing her father’s interests, led to a suspension of the ruling. Later, the High Court of Catalonia (TSJC) upheld the legality of euthanasia but left the father the right to further appeal.
Potential implications for the law
The case is now awaiting a final verdict from the Supreme Court of Spain (Tribunal Supremo). The ruling could set a precedent for similar cases nationwide. If the court sides with the petitioners, it could pave the way for parents and other representatives to challenge decisions granting the right to euthanasia for their loved ones.
Noelia’s case was the first in Spain where an assisted dying dispute reached the courts. It sparked widespread public debate and brought questions of ethics, law, and personal autonomy in end-of-life decisions back into the spotlight. In the coming months, the judiciary is expected to issue a ruling that could impact how the country’s euthanasia law is applied in practice.
