The wife of a man suffering from ALS, a degenerative disease that leads those affected by it to become paralysed, this evening launched a petition calling on Maltese parliamentarians to have mercy and welcome the family's request for the adoption of a law on assisted death. 

Marlene Magro said she was launching the petition on behalf of her husband Joe.

“Joe always insists with us that should this law not be introduced before he ends up in such a terrible state he will have no choice but to commit suicide…With the introduction of a law on assisted death, Joe will be able to live peacefully for a while longer,” she said.

Mr Magro, 56, made his case for the legalisation of euthanasia in front of Parliament’s Family Affairs Committee a few days ago.

“I feel my life will lack dignity if I am totally paralysed and dependent on others, which is why I would like to have the possibility to die in a legal way,” Mr Magro told the Times of Malta.

Euthanasia is illegal but 12 per cent of doctors surveyed recently said they had received requests for assisted suicide from their patients.