Suspension of 'suicide capsule' utilization pending ongoing criminal investigation following an American woman's fatal incident.
The leader of The Last Resort, a Switzerland-based organization, identified as Florian Willet, is currently in pretrial custody, as reported by the organization itself and Exit International, a related group established in Australia around half a century ago.
Swiss law enforcement apprehended Willet and other individuals following the unfortunate demise of a 64-year-old woman from the American Midwest on September 23. She was the first person to utilize a device named "Sarco" in a forest area near Schaffhausen, close to the German border.
Individuals initially detained in connection with the incident have since been released from custody, according to authorities.
Switzerland boasts some of the most lenient laws worldwide regarding assisted suicide, although the first use of the Sarco has sparked discussions among legislators.
Swiss regulations permit assisted suicide under specific conditions, such as the individual taking their life without any external assistance and no self-serving motives on the part of helpers.
As of September 23, the advocacy groups disclosed that 371 individuals had initiated the application process for using the Sarco in Switzerland. However, applications were suspended after the device's initial use.
Exit International, based in the Netherlands and led by Dr. Philip Nitschke, is responsible for the development of the Sarco, a 3D-printed device that cost over a million dollars to create.
The Sarco capsule features a reclining chair and a button that releases nitrogen gas from a tank beneath the chamber. This injects the gas into the sealed chamber, inducing sleep and eventually causing death by suffocation within a few minutes through asphyxiation.
Exit International claims that Willet was the sole witness to the woman's death, describing the event as "peaceful, swift, and dignified." However, these statements could not be independently substantiated.
On the same day, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider stated in parliament that the use of the Sarco would not be considered legal. The woman in question was reportedly severely immunocompromised.
Exit maintains that, according to their Swiss attorneys, the use of the device is permissible under Swiss law.
The advocacy groups added that they only became aware of the minister's stance on the issue following the Sarco's first use. They emphasized that the timing was a mere coincidence and not their intention.
The use of the Sarco device in Europe, specifically in Switzerland, has led to intense discussions among European legislators. Following the incident, Exit International, which developed the Sarco in Europe, is questioning the country's stance on assisted suicide.
