Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old woman from Barcelona, Spain, died by euthanasia on the evening of March 26, this after an 18-month legal battle with her father, Gerónimo Castillo.
Noelia was left paraplegic after a failed attempt to take her life in 2022, following repeated episodes of sexual assault. The injuries led her to request and be granted the right to assisted dying by the Catalan government in the summer of 2024, but, at the last moment, the process was suspended after legal objections were raised by her father.
That appeal started a legal battle that ended when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in Noelia's favor, marking the first time a case like this was sent to court for a judge to decide.
Whether a person has access to assisted dying is largely dictated by their country of residence. In many countries around the world, assisted dying is completely illegal, whereas in others it is legal in very specific circumstances.
Click through the following gallery to learn more about assisted dying laws around the world and how different countries approach this complex issue.