Eluana Englaro is a comatose woman who has been at the center of a right-to-die case in Italy, since her father Beppino Englaro proposed taking her off life support in 1999. Englaro had been in a coma since a 1992 car accident. In November 2008, Italy's highest court ruled that Englaro could be taken off of life support but told state clinics not to participate.BBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
Englaro was moved to a private facility in Udine, Italy, on February 3, 2009. The 38-year-old Englaro died less than one week later on February 9, 2009—even as Italian senators were debating over a bill that would've prevented her feeding tubes from being removed.Times Online: 'Right to die' coma woman Eluana Englaro dies (February 9, 2009)
Right to Die
On February 3, 2009, Eluana Englaro, who has been in a coma since 1992, was moved to a private facility, where she will be allowed to die. The Vatican, who has strongly opposed taking Englaro off life support, called the move a "false solution," the Vatican's health minister called it "abominable." Italy's government issued an emergency decree on February 6 to stop Englaro family from removing the feeding tubes. However, President Giorgio Napolitano immediately stated that he wouldn't sign it. Premier Silvio Berlusconi urged the signing of the decree and has stated that if the president refuses, he will attempt to have it written into lawBBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)The Associated Press: Italy government battles over right-to-die case (February 6, 2008)
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Fast Facts
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February 9, 2009
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Englaro had been in a coma since a 1992 car crash
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Her father, Beppino Englaro, has been trying to persuade the Italian courts to allow him to take his daughter off life support since 1999BBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
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A court ruled in July 2008 that Englaro was in an irreversible comaBBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
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In November 2008, the court ruled Eluana Englaro's feeding tubes could be removedBBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
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The Vatican strongly opposed taking Englaro off of life supportBBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
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Protesters tried to stop the ambulance that was transporting EnglaroBBC News: Italy Woman Sent to Clinic to Die (February 3, 2009)
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The case has been compared to that of Terry Schiavo
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