Medical Aid in Dying in South Africa

DignitySA is approaching the High Court in Pretoria as an applicant seeking to have assisted dying decriminalized and legalized in South Africa.

DignitySA is preparing legal papers to ask the courts:

• To declare the existing general common-law prohibition of assisted dying, which regards it as murder, unconstitutional and invalid (thus decriminalizing assisted dying)
• To require Parliament to write a law legalizing and regulating assisted dying in a manner appropriate for South Africa

In preparing its "Founding Affidavit," DignitySA has been gathering extensive evidence and supporting affidavits from South Africa and six foreign jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal. I am honored to play a small part in preparing this Founding Affidavit on behalf of the United States.