The News Lens
Date: 2016/12/15

Fu Ta-jen (傅達仁), a retired popular sportscaster, wrote a letter to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on

photo credit: AP Photo/Yves Logghe/達志影像

Dec. 2, calling for the government to pass a mercy killing law, which would make Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalize euthanasia. Tsai replied to Fu on Dec. 13, and Fu posted the letter on his Facebook page. In the response, Tsai said she places great importance on the topic of mercy killing and had directed the Executive Yuan to handle the matter.

Euthanasia is currently illegal in Taiwan. Department of Medical Affairs Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said that Taiwan would start evaluating mercy killing after the implementation of the Patient’s Self-determination Right Act, which was passed by the Legislative Yuan this January but will not come into effect until 2019, Liberty Times reports.   [FULL  STORY]