| Abstract [eng] |
By examining relevant legislation, international jurisprudence and doctrinal findings, this master’s thesis analyses the concept and scope of the right to life and the right to die, and the relationship between these rights. The right to life is recognised as a fundamental and absolute human right, but it becomes much more complex in the context of the prevalence of unconventional situations and issues related to the beginning and end of human life. The master’s thesis examines the institutes of termination of pregnancy and euthanasia, which raise controversial debates between the right to life and human autonomy. In the absence of a unanimous consensus in international law, states are left with wide margin of discretion in choosing a particular regulatory direction. The work reveals the integrity of the right to life and the right to die. A detailed analysis leads to the presumption that, while the right to life is protected by a wide range of normative instruments, the right to life is limited by the “right to die”, a phenomenon that is characterised as euthanasia. The analysis of the cases leads to conclusions relating to the protection of life and the guarantee of a dignified life, which means that the absolute and unconditional nature of the right to life often overshadow the principles that apply to issues relating to termination of pregnancy or euthanasia. |
