Vincent Humbert may die – after seven years in coma
05 June 2015
The European Court of Human Rights allows for the discontinuation of artificial nutrition and hydration
With this judgment, the ECHR unanimously ruled admissible the application of four family members of Vincent Lambert, as far as it concerned article 2 of the Convention; by 12:5 votes, the rest of the application was considered inadmissible. When considering the question whether discontinuing measures to keep Mr. Lambert alive would be permissible, the Court decided – again by 12:5 votes – that no violation of article 2 (right to life) would result from this. Therefore, the judgment of the French High Court, the Conseil d’État, can be implemented. This signifies that the life-sustaining measures of Vincent Lambert, who has been tetraplegic, fully dependent, artificially nourished and in persistent vegetative state (PVS) since a road accident on 29 September 2009 can be discontinued. The minority of five judges, from Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Georgian Republic, Malta and Moldavia, denied the Court the title “conscious of Europe” due to this judgment.
