A Swiss woodland retreat became the site of a tragic incident when a 64-year-old woman from the US ended her life inside a controversial suicide capsule. Authorities have reported that several individuals have been taken into custody in connection with this incident.
On Monday, a town near the German border witnessed the use of the space-age-looking Sarco capsule, which fills with nitrogen and kills through hypoxia.
A button inside the portable human-sized pod has ignited a plethora of legal and ethical concerns in Switzerland. The country prohibits active euthanasia, yet permits assisted death for decades.
Switzerland’s Interior Minister, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, informed MPs the Sarco was “not legal” on the same day it was used.
Police in the northern Schaffhausen canton reported the arrest of numerous people who will now face criminal charges.
– ‘Peaceful, fast, dignified’ –
In July, The Last Resort, an assisted dying organization, unveiled the Sarco pod in Zurich, predicting its first use within months and stating that there were no legal restrictions on its use in Switzerland.
According to The Last Resort, the unnamed victim was a 64-year-old woman from the midwestern United States.
This individual “had been suffering for many years from a number of serious problems associated with severe immune compromise,” a press release stated.
The death occurred “under a canopy of trees, at a private forest retreat.”.
According to the statement, the woman’s death was “peaceful, fast, and dignified” by the association’s co-president, Florian Willet.
– Warning given –
According to a police statement, the cantonal public prosecutor’s office “has opened criminal proceedings against several people for inducement, aiding, and abetting suicide… and several people have been placed in police custody.”
On Monday, a law firm informed the public prosecutor’s office of an assisted suicide in a forest hut near Merishausen.
The police, the forensic emergency service, and the public prosecutor’s office “went to the crime scene.”.
We secured the Sarco suicide capsule and carried the body away for an autopsy.
“We found the capsule with the lifeless person inside,” stated Schaffhausen’s public prosecutor, Peter Sticher.
He told Blick tabloid that numerous persons were arrested “so that they were not colluding with each other or covering up evidence.”.
According to Sticher, the operators knew they could face arrest.
“We warned them in writing. We said that if they came to Schaffhausen and used Sarco, they would face criminal consequences,” he said.
– Sarco: 3D-printable capsule –
The development of the 3D-printable capsule in the Netherlands took 12 years and cost over 650,000 euros ($725,000). However, the future Sarcos could be more affordable, with an estimated cost of around 15,000 euros. One notable advantage of these capsules is that they are reusable, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution.
Dr. Philip Nitschke expressed his satisfaction with the performance of Sarco, stating that it fulfilled its purpose of offering a choice for a peaceful and non-drug-induced death.
Before being able to use the Sarco, individuals who desire to end their lives must first undergo a thorough psychiatric evaluation.
The individual enters the violet capsule, shuts the lid, and is prompted with automated inquiries regarding their identity, location, and familiarity with the outcome of pressing the button.
According to Nitschke, the button press results in a rapid decrease in oxygen levels from 21 percent to 0.05 percent within just 30 seconds.
Nitschke’s Exit International organization, which is the owner of Sarco, operates as a non-profit group that relies on donations for funding. Users of Sarco are only required to cover the cost of 18 Swiss francs ($21) for the nitrogen.
– Suicide law –
According to Willet, Switzerland was the ideal location for the Sarco to be utilized in July. He praised the country’s “wonderful liberal system” as the main reason for this preference.
Swiss law generally permits assisted suicide if the individual commits the lethal deed oneself.
However, in response to parliamentary questioning on Monday, interior minister Baume-Schneider stated: “The Sarco suicide capsule is not legally compliant.”
“Firstly, it does not meet the requirements of product safety law and therefore cannot be placed on the market. Secondly, the corresponding use of nitrogen is not compatible with the purpose article of the Chemicals Act,” she said.
Fiona Stewart, who is on The Last Resort’s advisory board, said the group was acting on legal advice, which “since 2021 has consistently found that the use of Sarco in Switzerland would be lawful”.
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