On Sunday, advocacy groups behind the controversial “suicide capsule” recently announced, that they have temporarily halted the application process for its use, pending the outcome of a criminal investigation into the device’s first deployment in Switzerland.
The capsule, which had received over 370 applications as of last month, has come under scrutiny following the death of a 64-year-old American woman on September 23.
As per the advocacy group, all 371 pending applications to use the Sarco have been suspended. They also clarified that the timing of Baume-Schneider’s statement was purely coincidental, stating that they had no intention of conflicting with the government’s stance.
Additionally, Florian Willet, president of the Switzerland-based group The Last Resort, remains in pretrial detention, according to statements from both the organization and its Australian-founded affiliate, Exit International.
Reportedly, Willet was the only person present during the woman’s death, which Exit International described as “peaceful, fast, and dignified.”
Meanwhile, Switzerland is well-known for its permissive laws on assisted suicide, but the introduction of the Sarco capsule has sparked renewed debate.
Under Swiss law, assisted suicide is legal as long as the individual administers the act themselves and those assisting do not benefit personally from the death. However, the involvement of the Sarco capsule in this case has raised questions about its legality.
Notably on the same day as the incident, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider informed parliament that the use of the Sarco capsule is illegal. However, Exit International’s legal team in Switzerland contends that the device is permissible under Swiss law.
Must Read: Switzerland: Several Arrested Over Suspected Deaths Involving Suicide Capsule’
