Faroe Islands debates legalising assisted dying

The Faroese national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya is spotlighting one of the most contentious ethical issues of our time in today’s episode of Breddin: whether to legalise assisted dying.

Assisted dying remains illegal and punishable in the Faroe Islands, though current law permits life-prolonging treatment to be withheld and allows palliative sedation, which may hasten death. In recent years, several countries have introduced legal frameworks for assisted dying under strict conditions—a development now being debated in the Faroes, where expert panels have recently weighed in on the issue.

At its core, the debate extends beyond legal technicalities. Fundamental ethical questions dominate: Does a person suffering unbearably have the right to choose death? And does society ever have an obligation to help someone die?

The programme airs today at 10:00 on Kringvarp Føroya.