Foul play suspected in death of Dutch politician behind euthanasia law

Dutch police said on Thursday they suspected foul play in the death this week of the former health minister who was behind the law that made the Netherlands the first country to legalize euthanasia, more than a decade ago. Els Borst, 81, was found dead in her home on Monday evening, two days after attending a convention of her political party, the right-of-centre Democrats 66. Borst, a trained doctor who twice served as deputy prime minister, was the architect of the bill in 2002 that gave people suffering from terminal illness the right to end their lives in consultation with a physician. “Based on forensic tests and findings at the scene, the conclusion can be drawn that the most likely cause of death was a crime,” police said in a statement.