Archie Battersbee's parents want to take the case to the Supreme Court

Archie Battersbee, 12, has been on life support since April in the UK. His family refuses that he be disconnected against the advice of the medical profession, in particular for religious reasons. While the courts have once again sided with the doctors and the Court of Appeal has refused to bring their case before the United Nations, the parents wish to appeal to the Supreme Court. 

The Christian Legal Center (CLC) announced in a statement that the parents of Archie Battersbee will file this Thursday an "urgent request" with the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. They want to challenge a decision of the Court of Appeal which prevents them “from taking their case to the United Nations”.

Monday July 25, the boy's parents have lost yet another legal battle to keep their son on life support. The Court of Appeal considered that it was in the interest of the patient to stop the treatments, agreeing with the medical profession.

Following this judgment, the family filed a “request for a stay” in order to allow them to bring their case before the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Court of Appeal agreed to extend the stay until July 28 at 14 p.m., but only to present their request to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and not to the United Nations.

According to the CLC, the ECHR "has a history of rejecting parental claims in end-of-life cases like Archie's."

His parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, plan on Thursday to ask the Supreme Court for permission to appeal this decision, determined to present their request to the United Nations.

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the highest court of the judiciary in the United Kingdom.

Archie Battersbee, 12, suffered severe brain damage after an incident on April 7. He was found unconscious by his mother after taking part in a "challenge" on the internet. Placed on life support, he has not regained consciousness since. While the doctors want to stop the treatments, her parents are fighting to counter this decision.

Ms Dance said she thought her son "needed more time" to recover. “We do not agree with the idea of ​​dignity in death. To impose him on us and hasten his death for this purpose is profoundly cruel,” she added.

She believes that "it is up to God to decide what should happen to Archie, including if, when and how he should die" and asks that her son's religious beliefs be respected.

Camille Westphal Perrier

Image credit: Shutterstock.com / Bob Korn