A Spanish woman who conducted a long legal battle fighting for her right to end her life has died by euthanasia.
Paralysed rape victim Noelia Castillo, 25, who had been fighting legal objections from her father for a year and half, received the life-ending medicine on Thursday in Barcelona.
Castillo had previously tried to take her own life twice before her death, the second time after she was sexually assaulted, and the injuries she suffered from her second attempt in October 2022 left her paraplegic.
She said she was raped on two occasions, once by an ex-boyfriend and the second time by three boys in 2022, describing this as a turning point in her life.
The Catalan government granted Castillo the right to assisted dying in 2024, with her request based on assessments that evaluated her condition as serious and incurable, and that the 25-year-old had severe, chronic and debilitating suffering.
However, her father initiated a legal battle to prevent her from exercising this right, with the backing of conservative campaign group Abogados Cristianos.
He said that his daughter suffered from a personality disorder which affected her judgement, rendering her incapable of making the decision to end her life, and pointed to "the obligation of the state to protect the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable, as is the case with a young person with mental health problems".
When the court ruled in favour of Castillo's right to die, her father's lawyers appealed again, taking the case up to Spain’s Supreme Court, which in January upheld Castillo’s rights.
Abogados Cristianos tried to halt the procedure by appealing to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), but they denied the request to put it on hold earlier this month, upholding Castillo's right to die.
The highly publicised battle has fuelled public debate across Spain, and Castillo spoke to Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 on Wednesday, reasserting her desire to die, and expressing a sense of relief.
She said: "At last, I’ve managed it, so let’s see if I can finally rest now. I just cannot go on anymore."
Castillo said that while her family would be able to come and say goodbye, she wanted to be alone with her doctor when the lethal injection was performed.
She added: "Nobody in my family is in favour. I am leaving and you are staying here with all the pain, but what about all the suffering I have endured over the years? I just want to leave in peace and stop the pain.
"The happiness of a father or a mother or a sister shouldn't precede the happiness of a daughter."
On Thursday evening, Abogados Cristianos confirmed that Castillo had died.
The group said that the case highlights serious flaws in Spain's euthanasia law, and said that Castillo's family was deeply disappointed with the outcome.
Attorney Polonia Castellanos said that the Spanish government had abandoned and failed Castillo, adding: “Death is the last option, especially when you’re very young.”
Castillo’s mother Yolanda said she did not agree with her daughter's decision but "respected" it.
Spain legalised physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in 2021 for long-suffering patients from incurable diseases and for people with unbearable permanent conditions.
According to Dignity in Dying, a UK-based group that advocates for euthanasia and medically assisted dying, Spain is one of nine EU countries with laws which allow those experiencing unbearable suffering to access assisted dying.
Since Spain adopted the legislation, 1,123 people have been administered life-ending medicine up until the end of 2024, according to Spain's Health Ministry, with 426 requests granted in 2024, the most recent year available.
This was the first time that a case went to court for a judge to decide.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
