Facebook has blocked a chronically-ill French euthanasia campaigner from live streaming his final days on the platform.- Alain Cocq, 57, from Dijon, France, has been suffering from a rare and incurable degenerative disease for 34 years, making him bed-bound.
- Cocq, who has started to refuse food, drinks, and medication, has said he will find another way to stream his final days.
- In a statement to Reuters, Facebook said they had blocked Cocq's from posting videos "based on the advice of experts that the depiction of suicide attempts could be triggering and promote more self-harm."
Facebook has blocked the live broadcast of a chronically-ill French euthanasia campaigner who wanted to stream his death on Saturday.
Alain Cocq, from Dijon, France, has been suffering from a rare and incurable degenerative disease for 34 years, which made him unable to leave his bed.
The 57-year old former plumber posted a Facebook video on Saturday after having what he said would be his last liquid meal.
"So I have finished my last meal ... I drink to your health one last time. The road to deliverance begins and, believe me, I am happy," he said, according to Reuters.
"I have made up my mind and I am at peace," he added.
Cocq expects he will die over the coming days because he has stopped all food, liquids, and medication — except for painkillers.
He had wanted to live stream the end of his life on Facebook, but a message on his account on Saturday said he had been blocked from posting videos until Tuesday, Cocq said.
"While we respect Alain's decision to draw attention to this important issue, we are preventing live broadcasts on his account based on the advice of experts that the depiction of suicide attempts could be triggering and promote more self-harm," Facebook said in a statement provided to Reuters.
Cocq has since said he would find another way to broadcast his final days.
He has also appealed French President Emmanuel Macron for a medically-assisted death, illegal under French law.
In a personal letter sent to Cocq, which was published on his Facebook page, Macron wrote: "Because I am not above the law, I am not able to comply with your request. Your wish is to request active assistance in dying which is not currently permitted in our country."
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