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Prosecutor Probes Vellios' Death: Was it Euthanasia or Suicide?

VELLIOS
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of journalist Alexandros Vellios has begun following suspicion that he may have been helped into taking his own life. The journalist, who championed the cause of euthanasia during his long battle with cancer, finally put an end to his own life on Saturday rather than have gone abroad to undergo euthanasia as he had been considering.
A publication concerning the syringe filled with poison, given to the journalist by a doctor willing to help the terminally ill man put an end to his life, caused the start into a preliminary inquiry ordered by prosecutor Ilias Zagoraios. The article that raised suspicions appeared on the news site, protagon.gr, and is titled “Vellios: That’s Not Euthanasia, It is Suicide.”
The article, signed by Dimitris Alikakos, describes the last days of the journalist’s life. Alikakos, a friend and colleague, said that Vellios told him that the Greek doctor treating the cancer sufferer had reconsidered his stand against euthanasia but told him that it could not be carried out at the hospital.
The article reports that Vellios called the journalist and told him that he would leave the hospital on Saturday and that everything would end on Sunday. The same journalists reports that when he visited Vellios at hospital he joked that he would be the one to do the deed – that is, to give him the injection that would end his life. He said, “I leave tomorrow. On Sunday, the doctor will come and bring the syringe. You’ll be there too. You don’t need to give me the injection. I was joking. I’ll just show you how to button up the butterfly needle on my chest. Then you’ll push in the injection. Leave immediately. One of my people will inform the doctor to come and certify the death, and of course the funeral parlor,” he said.
Prior to putting an end to his life, he agreed with another three journalists to make a statement about euthanasia. He insisted on the footage being shot at 21:30 Saturday rather than on Sunday. He told Alikakos that he was one of the few people who knew the truth and would leave it up to him to decide on whether he wanted to share it with others. He said that he would die the next day, but not in the way he wanted to – with euthanasia – but with non-assisted euthanasia. In other words – suicide. He then read out his last statement.

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