Israeli court okays posthumous use of sperm despite man’s request to destroy it

In a precedent-setting ruling, the Krayot Family Court in northern Israel recently ruled that the sperm of a deceased man could be used posthumously, despite his request that it be destroyed, Channel 12 reported on Sunday night.

The man, a countertenor singer, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer some eight years ago and died despite treatments. Prior to starting chemotherapy he froze some of his sperm, a common practice to preserve the quality of the seed.

Around the time of his death, the man’s only sister discovered that she was infertile and sought to use his frozen sperm with a surrogate mother in order to ensure a continuation of the family line. She then discovered it was about to be destroyed, as the man had signed a clause to that effect in the event of his death.

The family appealed to the courts, insisting that the man had signed off on the sperm’s destruction distractedly and unintentionally.

The family court, after being provided with various testimonies supporting the family’s claim, accepted it despite the state’s opposition.

“All that we want is to fulfill the desire of my late brother to bring children to the world from his seed,” his sister told Channel 12. “It’s also our only chance for a continuation of the family. We are all eager to start the surrogacy process.”