Prakruthi Balla, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad
INTRODUCTION
Mercy killing is the act of ending a person's life to end their suffering. It is also called euthanasia or assisted suicide. This term does not imply that one who performs the act of mercy killing, a euthanasia provider, has a degree of moral superiority or forgives any sin committed by the recipient of mercy killing. Mercy killing is an international human rights issue, and it is not legal in most countries without explicit consent from the deceased person.
Euthanasia is an act of mercy that can ultimately result in a peaceful, painless death. The word 'euthanasia' derives from the Greek εὐθανασία ('eu-uðanas-ia), which means 'good death.' Euthanasia has been practiced for thousands of years, known even in Ancient Greece and Rome. It wasn't until the late 1800s that euthanasia became a term associated with physician-assisted suicide.
