Suicide and euthanasia under Turkish law
Suicide and euthanasia under Turkish law

Summary/Abstract: Committing suicide is not a crime under Turkish law. However, instigating or assisting others to commit suicide is penalized by Article 84 of the Turkish Penal Code. This provision is of crucial importance for honour killings in Turkey. It is a concern that many suicides of women could be honour crimes, with the family forcing the female victim to commit suicide. Turkish courts should apply article 84 in the cases of honour suicide. Euthanasia is a controversial issue in many countries. This action is not legal in Turkey. It is prohibited by the By-law of the Ministry of Health on Patients’ Rights. However, there is ambiguity in Turkish law on the issue of "punishment for euthanasia" since there is no specific provision in the Turkish Penal Code relating to the euthanasia. To avoid this ambiguity, Turkish legislation should adopt specific provisions.

• Details
• Contents