"34 Years with a Colostomy Bag... French Man Attempting Live Broadcast of Extreme Choice Wants to Leave with Dignity"

Facebook Protest at Last Moment Announces 'Online Live Broadcast'
34 Years Battling Rare Incurable Disease... "Can You Endure It?" Plea

Alan Cook, a French man suffering from a rare incurable disease, announced that he would live stream his "final moment" online, demanding the right to die with dignity. / Photo by Twitter capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] A terminally ill patient in France who had been demanding the government allow euthanasia to die with dignity attempted to livestream his final moments as a last form of protest, but the attempt was blocked by Facebook.

According to the UK BBC and other outlets on the 5th (local time), Alain Cock, a French man suffering from a rare disease, announced on his Facebook page on the 4th that he would livestream his final moments.

Cock has reportedly been suffering from a rare incurable disease in which the walls of the arteries stick together for the past 34 years. He stated that he would stop medication and refuse all food and water intake for the livestream.

Earlier, on July 20th, Cock sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron requesting the legalization of euthanasia.

In the letter, Cock wrote, "I am enduring incredibly intense pain," and asked, "Mr. President, can you bear to wear a diaper, have someone else clean your excrement, entrust your bathing to a third party, and endure unbearable pain that leaves you disabled?"

He continued, "I want to depart with dignity with the active help of medicine," and pleaded, "Please let me close my eyes while preserving my dignity."

However, President Macron rejected this request. In his reply to Cock, Macron said, "I admire your incredible willpower as you continue to fight your illness," but explained, "I am not above the law. I cannot grant your request to go beyond the current law."

Ultimately, Cock announced on Facebook that he would livestream his 'final moments' as a last protest, but Facebook blocked the broadcast. Facebook stated that while they respect Cock's decision, their policy does not allow showing attempts of self-harm or extreme choices.

Meanwhile, in France, the so-called 'Leonetti Law' enacted in 2005 guarantees the right to stop treatment only for terminal patients. This law was amended in August 2016 to allow the administration of sedatives until death after life-sustaining treatment is stopped. However, the injection of drugs that cause immediate death remains prohibited.

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This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.