Tony Nicklinson loses his case to be allowed voluntary euthanasia

The High Court has released its judgement in the case of Tony Nicklinson. It denies him the opportunity to end his life (his locked-in syndrome makes him unable to kill himself without assistance). It condemns him to an existence which neither he nor his family desires (and which he describes as one of "increasing misery", being unable to speak and barely move), and which society should not desire for him.

The judgement will almost certainly be appealed.

In the meantime, the Secular Medical Forum has released the following press release:

Today’s sad verdict leaves Tony Nicklinson with a terrible choice. Because other people regard his tortured life as somehow sacred, or are fearful of societal consequences, he is forced to endure his suffering or take desperate measures to end it. With no hope now of a quick release, he must choose between this torment and the torment of allowing his family to stand by and watch him starve himself to death. The law is failing people both ends up. People who do not want to die are not protected from unscrupulous relatives whose motives for ending their life will only be questioned when the patient is already dead. Those people, like Tony, who tell us quite reasonably why they would like to end their unbearable misery are prevented from doing so.