International
Europe
ANTI-TERRORISM BILL APPROVED BY FRANCE PARLIAMENT
Friday, October 06, 2017
Through judicial approval, the police would have the
authority to raid private property and restrain people’s
movements if they suspected a threat to national
security. Furthermore, no judiciary approval would be
needed before shutting down places of worship or setting
up security zones when there is an alleged threat to national
security.
On October 3, the lower house of the French parliament
voted 415-127 to authorize an anti-terrorism bill that would
increase police surveillance powers and allow authorities to
close places of worship that are suspected of being a threat
to national security.
“The anti-terrorism law... will give the state only
extraordinary powers of something that we don’t even
have a proper definition of. This law will dismantle France,”
said Yasser Louati, a leading French human rights and civil
rights activist.
Louati stated that the state of emergency for the past two
years has not changed “anything in the country” and has
proven to be “ineffective and insufficient”.
United Kingdom
WITHDRAWING LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS DO NOT NEED COURT
PROCEEDINGS: UK COURT OF PROTECTION
Wednesday, October 04, 2017
The UK Court of Protection has clarified that decisions to
withdraw life support treatment to patients in Permanent
Vegetative State (PVS) or Minimally Conscious State
(MCS) need not always be taken with judicial approval.
It was held that if the decision was taken on agreement
between doctors and family members in accordance with
the professional guidelines, Court intervention was not a
mandatory requirement.
The Court of Protection in the United Kingdom is created
under the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 to determine issues
pertaining to welfare and best interests of persons under
mental incapacity. The Court was dealing with the case of
a lady who was suffering from a rare neurological disorder
called Huntington’s disease, which rendered her in a
‘Minimally Conscious State’. The Court proceedings were
initiated for permission to withdraw the Clinically Assisted
Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) given to the patie nt on
the ground that it was not in her best interests to continue
the treatment.
After considering the testimonies of her mother, other
family members and doctors, Justice Peter Jackson of the
Court of Protection reached the conclusion that it was not
in the patient’s best interest to continue the CANH, and
permission was accorded to withdraw the same. The Court
stated that a decision on such a matter should be guided
by the following considerations under the Mental Capacity
Act :-
• Where a person is unable to make a decision for herself,
there is an obligation to act in her best interests
Read more: http://www.legaleraonline.com/news/withdrawing-
life-support-systems-do-not-need-court-proceedings-uk-court-
of-protection
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| L egal E ra | N ovember 2017
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