X-Message-Number: 18662 From: "John de Rivaz" <> Subject: Martinots face execution in France Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 09:37:01 -0000 A BBC news story http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1842000/1842656.stm details how a French prosecutor, as yet un-named, seeks the destruction of Raymond and Monique Martinot, who are at present frozen in a mechanical freezer in Western France. Dr Martinot froze his wife in 1984. I intend to put up further material on http://www.cryonics-europe.org later today, but am sending this message now in the hope that it will get on today's cryonet digest. I would like to draw reader's attention to the petition system for the European Parliament, which you can find on http://www.europarl.eu.int/petition/petition_en.htm I learned of this from the Life Extension Foundation. Although cryonicists are doubtful whether Dr Martinot's do-it-yourself idea would ever work technically never mind legally, the execution of the Martinots would not be a good precedent for cryonics in Europe or indeed the world. I therefore urge everyone to take the time to send a petition to the EU parliament. They have a help page which explains how non-Europeans can have their say as well. I append my own petition here, but please **do not copy it word for word ** as politicians can see a "concert party" a mile off. Try and think of other angles. Please do not mention National Socialism by name - this seems to be a non productive thing to do these days. If enough people take the trouble to write, then the politicians will realise that it is a matter of public importance. >>> There is a case in France where the public prosecutor is calling for the destruction of Raymond and Monique Martinot, who have been frozen upon their deaths. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1842000/1842656.stm The reason for the execution of legal process to have them burned or buried is that the intent behind the freezing, that future science will one day restore the couple, is impossible. However death is a process not a sudden event. Freezing stops this process, albeit at a point from which **current, present day,** technology cannot restore the victim. No one alive today can totally and honestly say whether this intent for future restoration will be possible, as it relies on technology yet developed and scientific principles not yet discovered. Therefore the destruction of the Martinots amounts to state execution, and as far as I know they have committed no crime. It creates an appalling precedent where the state is saying that if a person is deemed so terribly sick as to be beyond current restoration, they can be destroyed. I call upon the European Parliament to do all it can to prevent member states from enforcing this type of legislation. <<< -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://www.deRivaz.com my homepage links to Longevity Report, Fractal Report, music, Inventors' report, an autobio and various other projects: http://www.geocities.com/longevityrpt http://www.autopsychoice.com - http://www.cryonics-europe.org - http://www.porthtowan.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18662