Submission by DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity (PDF)
7 August 2024
We have published our latest newsletter edition – it includes country updates and guest articles on France, Scotland and Brazil, and more. We hope you enjoy reading it: >> more
On 13 June 2024, the European Court of Human Rights rendered this judgment It further develops precedent jurisdiction concerning an individual’s right to decide by what means and at what point his or her life will end, and it picks up on some related aspects such as the relationship between palliative care and voluntary assisted dying. (pdf)
In the last few weeks one topic caught the attention of the media, just as it did in December 2021: Philip Nitschke, respectively the organisation “Exit International” and their branch “The Last Resort”, announcing that soon the first person would self-determinedly die in his suicide-automat “Sarco” in Switzerland. The following is overlooked in this context: if the human right to self-determination over the end of one's own life would really be respected, Nitschke's “Sarco” would have little relevance. (pdf)
In 1998, DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity was set up in Switzerland by lawyer Ludwig A. Minelli. It was one of the first end-of-life organisation in the world to help foreigners – non-Swiss citizens – to die. Since then around 4,000 people from 65 different countries have ended their lives with help from the group. Ludwig Minelli tells Jane Wilkinson why he believes freedom of choice is so important.
A Public engagement summary report providing detail on the first phase of public engagement on assisted dying in Jersey has been published.
On 22 June 2021, the Jersey Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury, established in Spring 2021, published an Initial Report which notes recommendations and key messages from Jurors regarding “Should assisted dying be permitted in Jersey, and if so, under what circumstances?” In the final vote, a large majority of the Jury voted in favour of assisted dying. The issue is set to be put to States Members later this year.
In 2023, the long-standing international legal commitment of the non-profit membership association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” and the political activities for the (human) right to self-determination regarding one’s own end in life were continued. A case initiated by DIGNITAS against France is pending at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In Switzerland, the association focused on securing access to assisted suicide for residents of public homes. In the operational area, the comprehensive advisory work for individuals seeking help and suicide attempt prevention remained at the core of DIGNITAS ' activities. (PDF)
19 March 2024
All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) meeting in Westminster Palace
A new research report published today by the Assisted Dying Coalition outlines the continuous flow of UK and crown-dependency residents using assisted dying services in Switzerland and reveals the inadequacy and disparity of the broken UK law. Something which will only continue in the absence of a compassionate assisted dying law. UK politicians should read this report and support an assisted dying law that recognises intolerable suffering and makes these journeys to Switzerland unnecessary.
HSCC Initial findings / Key considerations from the online public engagement (Link)
Report with recommendations to government published 29 February 2024 (Link)
Reports, government responses, evidence, transcripts and more (Link)
30 September 2023
Leeds Festival of Ideas LIFI23
How do we talk about grief?
Experienced universally but felt so uniquely, grief will find its way into our lives and affect us in ways sometimes impossible to articulate. Manifesting in all forms, shapes and sizes, why does grief often have the ability to get us a little tongue tied?
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has decided to communicate to the French Government the applications filed by 31 people residing in France and to continue the proceedings initiated by DIGNITAS against the French State. This decision is an important step forward in ensuring that freedom of choice concerning the end of life is respected, and it should be of interest for the political debate and the ongoing preparatory work for an end-of-life-choice law in France. (pdf)
A group of 31 persons filed a series of applications against France with the European Court of Human Rights on 28 April 2023. This unprecedent legal action, coordinated by DIGNITAS, aims to ensure that freedom of choice at the end of life is respected and to pave the way for assisted dying in France. (pdf)
Today, the Swiss non-profit member association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” celebrates its 25th anniversary. In the 25 years of its operation, the association has advised tens of thousands of individuals on their end-of-life options and has achieved significant successes regarding freedom of choice and self-determination in life and at the end of life – in Switzerland and worldwide. (pdf)
6 April 2023
Voluntary assisted dying in the Australian Capital Territory ACT
In Memoriam: Aycke Smook, 9 Dec 1938 - 6 March 2023
Aycke Smook had been a surgeon oncologist at the Central Hospital, Medical Center Alkmaar in the Netherlands from 1974 - 2002. There, he founded the department of surgical oncology, introduced discussion on assisted dying and, with support by the Nederlandse Vereniging voor een Vrijwillig Levenseinde NVVE, he wrote an assisted dying protocol which was approved by the district prosecutor Josephus Jitta. Dr Smook was a board member of the NVVE from 1989 until 1998. He served the World Federation Right to Die Societies WFRtDS as president 1994 - 1996 and board member 1992 - 2002. With the support of the WFRtDS, after organising the 1990 WFRtDS conference in Maastricht on behalf of NVVE, Aycke Smook led the founding of Right to Die Europe RtDE in May 1993, initially a division of WFRtDS and then independent umbrella organization for Europe, and served as its president until March 2023. Through his efforts, RtDE became a member of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations INGOs with participatory status and, in 2018, Dr Smook was appointed a member of the Appellate Committee of the Conference of INGOs. We have lost a spearhead of the worldwide and European human rights and end-of-life-choices movement, a great person and a good friend. We miss you, Aycke!
In 2022, the long-standing international legal commitment of the non-profit membership association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” and the political activities for the (human) right to self-determination regarding one’s own end in life were continued. In Switzerland, the association focused on securing access to assisted suicide for residents of public homes. In the operational area, the comprehensive advisory work for individuals seeking help and suicide attempt prevention remained at the core of DIGNITAS ' activities. (PDF)
15 November 2022
My Death My Decision MDMD Parliamentary reception in Westminster Palace (Link)
The World Federation of Right to Die Societies celebrates the World Right to Die Day
There are many forces that differentiate us in the world: politics, religion, beliefs to name only a few. One thing that unites us is the desire to die with dignity. Asunción Alvarez, president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, of which DIGNITAS is also a member, said, “Around the globe, many people fight to make a death with dignity possible for themselves and those they love. It is these people that we would like to put in the spotlight for World Right to Die Day 2022; the Champions, who through their support, activism, fighting, writing, willpower, vision and strength, are advocating to make right to die legislation possible all over the world.”
At the biannual World Federation Conference of Right to Die Societies in Toronto, Canada, WFRtDS president Asunción Alvarez unveiled the World of Champions map. Rob Jonquière, Executive Director, said, “The World of Champions tells the stories of the parents, siblings, activists, doctors, supporters and volunteers who are working to make dying with dignity possible from all the corners of the earth. It is a testimony of their struggle and the complexities they face in championing the right to die with dignity. In some areas, the map is empty, and while there are certainly Champions in each of these countries, their efforts are shrouded in silence without right to die societies to support their cause and tell their story. We hope that they will join us in time.”
The World Federation of Right to Die Societies’ goal is to ensure that everyone has the right to die with dignity, peacefully and without suffering. Founded in 1980, the federation comprises 58 right to die organizations from 30 countries and facilitates the cooperation between member societies to utilize the experience and expertise of professionals already lawfully assisting people to die. For more information, please visit www.wfrtds.
27 May 2022
Revised chapter 6.2.1. “Assisted suicide” in the medical-ethical guidelines “Management of dying and death” by the Swiss Academy of Medical Science (SAMS) now made statutory rule for medical doctors by the Swiss Medical Association (FMH)
What is the impact on physician-supported assisted suicide made possible by DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity?
Developments in legalising assisted diyng on the Isle of Man
Politicians of the Isle of Man voted 22 over 2 in favour of introducing a Bill that, if passed, would lead to legal assisted dying. With this, the Isle of Man follow the Island of Jersey and Scotland in exploring, debating, and voting on voluntary assisted dying, the human right to choose the time of one's own end of suffering and life with professional support. (Link to communiqué by the Humanists UK)
December 2022 to January 2023, a public consultation / survey was done and DIGNITAS - To live with dignity - To die with dignity handed in a submisson to Tynwald.
EUMANS! are citizens and activists from all around Europe engaged in a bottom-up political mobilization for socially and democratically sustainable EU policies. The idea to join efforts and act together is by Marco Cappato, a former MEP and nonviolent leader in Italy. (Link)
In 2021, the long-standing international legal commitment of the non-profit membership association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” was continued and consolidated. In the operational area, the comprehensive advisory work for individuals seeking help and suicide attempt prevention remained at the core of DIGNITAS' activities. In 2022, the association will continue to engage in work to ensure quality of life until the end, self-determination and real freedom of choice, combined with individual responsibility and advance planning – in Switzerland and internationally. (PDF)
Liam McArthur, Member of the Scottish Parliament, lodged a proposal for a Member's Bill to enable competent adults who are terminally ill to be provided at their request with assistance to end their life: the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. The public was invited to submit written comments on the proposed Member’s Bill. DIGNITAS wrote a submission in support of the proposed Bill
Call to lawmakers: Better respect for the end-of-life choices of your citizens, please!
When suffering individuals are barred from access to voluntary assisted dying, this is often caused by lawmakers. For this reason, today the World Federation of Right to Die Societies demands recognition for the inherent right to die. In Switzerland, the right to one’s own death is generally recognised. In a joint call, the six Swiss Self-Determination Associations request lawmakers to respect individual end-of-life decision and refers to the situation in Europe, where aid in dying is still a criminal offence in some countries. (pdf)
The Swiss non-profit membership association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” urges Westminster to follow the example of countries in Europe and worldwide to implement an assisted dying law which adheres to the human right of an individuals’ choice over the time and manner of their end of suffering and life. (PDF)
The internationally active Swiss association “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” considers the current French ban on the prescription of the medication sodium pentobarbital for a self-determined end of life to be unconstitutional. It requests the Conseil d'État (Council of State) for this ban to be lifted so that people living in France can in future claim the right to a self-determined end of life in their own country. DIGNITAS is represented in these legal proceedings by the renowned French lawyer Patrice Spinosi. (PDF)
On 15 May 2011, voters in the Canton of Zürich overwhelmingly rejected two initiatives and thus strengthened freedom of choice and self-determination over one’s own end of life. To safeguard it was and still is an important task – not only in Switzerland. (PDF)
A self-determined end of life choice legal in Chile maybe soon
On 20 April, the Chamber of Deputies in Chile approved a bill to allow voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide for competent individuals over the age of 18. The bill requires that a person making the request would have to be diagnosed by two doctors as having a serious and incurable disease and suffer from unbearable physical ailments. The bill now goes to the Senate for debate.
In 2020, the long-standing international legal commitment of the non-profit membership association “DIGNITAS– To live with dignity – To die with dignity” led to encouraging court decisions in Germany and Austria in favour of the human right to decide on the manner and time of one’s own end in life and to seek help of third parties for this. In the operational area, the comprehensive advisory work for individuals seeking help and suicide attempt prevention remained at the core of DIGNITAS' activities. In 2021, the association will continue to engage in work to ensure quality of life until the end, self-determination and real freedom of choice, combined with individual responsibility and advance planning – in Switzerland and internationally. (PDF)
On 11 December 2020 – just one day after the international day of human rights – the Austrian Constitutional Court in Vienna judged on the constitutional complaint against the prohibition of assistance in suicide and voluntary euthanasia; the case was initiated by DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity through the Vienna law firm ETHOS.legal: The prohibition of assistance in suicide (second fact of § 78 of the Austrian Criminal Code) is unconstitutional. With this judgment, the people of Austria finally receive the freedom of choice and the human right which they have been entitled to for a long time: to decide themselves on the time of end of their suffering and life and to make use of help of third persons, thus also professional help. (PDF)
While assisted dying has been legalised in several countries in recent years and initiatives to do so are underway in others, opponents keep spreading myths and trying to create fears about assisted dying. Reality proves them wrong. It is time for lawmakers everywhere to respect their citizens’ wishes regarding freedom of choice and self-determination in end-of-life decisions. (PDF)
DIGNITAS welcomes the move by TD Gino Kenny for the Dáil to reconsider a Dying with Dignity Bill. The freedom to decide on the time and manner of one’s own end in life is a human right, and suffering Irish people should be allowed the choice of ending their suffering and life in a legal, safe and self-determined manner at home. A rising number of states have legalised assisted dying, and their experiences prove the fearmongers wrong. (PDF)
27 August 2020
Development in Tasmania, Australia:
The Hon Michael Gaffney, member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, has tabled the End Of Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill: an Act to provide for, and regulate access to, voluntary assisted dying, to establish the Commissioner of Voluntary Assisted Dying, and for related purposes.
The new "Grupo de Apoya para una Muerte Asistada Digna en Urugua" (M.A.D.U.) went public and there is a bill in Uruguay's Parliament to legalise medically assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia, presented by senator Ope Pasquet.
The two membership associations “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” in Switzerland and “DIGNITAS - Menschenwürdig leben - Menschenwürdig sterben (Sektion Deutschland) e.V.” in Germany highly welcome the decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court of 26 February 2020, according to which § 217 StGB (German Criminal Code) is declared void. With this ruling, repeated and thus professional assistance in suicide is no longer prohibited in Germany. The decision also points the way forward for the German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, who, in violation of the constitution, continues to refuse to implement the decision by the Federal Administrative Court of March 2, 2017 “Permission to acquire a lethal dose of sodium pentobarbital for suicide”. With this, the German government obstructs self-determination and genuine freedom of choice, prolongs suffering and encourages risky suicide attempts. (PDF)
In 2019, general advisory work and suicide attempt prevention remained an important part of the activities of the non-profit member society DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity. In the frame of its national and international legal and political efforts, DIGNITAS wrote several submissions for political consultations and initiated, supported and accompanied court cases as well as political advances. In 2019, the number of members continued to grow and reached 9,822. Still fewer than 3% of all DIGNITAS members make use of an accompanied suicide; 256 individuals in 2019. In 2020, DIGNITAS will continue to engage in quality of life until the end, self-determination and real freedom of choice, combined with individual responsibility and advance planning. (PDF)
15 December 2019
The Food and Health Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong invited the public to submit views on end-of-life care legislative proposals regarding advance directives and dying in place. DIGNITAS contributed to the consultation by sending in a submission.
More than Half of Jersey Doctors Favour Assisted Dying
Following the recent public opinion poll on assisted dying, a new poll has been carried out, again by 4insight, addressed to the island's doctors.
Comparing the two surveys, the proportion of doctors in favour is somewhat below that of the general public, but it is still a clear majority. For patients with a terminal illness, 60% of our doctors felt that assistance to die was sometimes or always acceptable, and that they would be willing to render that assistance, given professional and legal protection.
End of Life Choices Jersey (Link) commissioned an independent survey from 4insight to gather Islanders views on end-of-life choices in Jersey. The organisation End of Life Choices Jersey was set up in response to the wish of many Islanders to determine how and when they end their own life, without incriminating those assisting them.
Michael Talibard of End of Life Choices Jersey says:
“Assisted dying, as we know, is a complex issue – you cannot ask people to declare themselves simply for or against – it always 'depends'. Therefore we were pleased that My Death My Decision (Link) allowed us to mimic their well designed questionnaire, in which nuanced reactions were sought to different situations. So across four scenarios, respondents were asked if they would consider it acceptable for a doctor to assist each type of patient to die – always, sometimes, rarely or never. The results were remarkable, and showed a level of support a little greater even than that in the UK. There are different ways of summarising this, but adding together the 'always' and the 'sometimes', one sees figures of between 76% and 89% in favour. This gives us great encouragement."
On 4 April 2019, the Parliament of South Australia established the Joint Committee on End of Life Choices. DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity contributed to the inquiry by sending the Committee a submission.
Support the new court case in the UK by Phil Newby: a right to choose and die with dignity case arguing for a law change, for anyone who has a progressive degenerative condition which is life-shortening and which will ultimately lead to death but not without years of pain and suffering.
Phil Newby says: „We all hope for a happy, fulfilling life, that is not cut short and ends peacefully and relatively painlessly, but I have motor neurone disease (MND). I want the right to decide when my life is no longer bearable and to end it with dignity. That’s why I’m campaigning to legalise assisted dying for people like me, so we have the freedom to make a choice. An overwhelming majority of the public think terminally ill people should have the choice of assisted dying. This case gives us the chance to make a real, positive change.”
13 June 2019
On 12 June 2019, in the US-State of Maine, Governor Janet Mills signed the “Death with Dignity Act”, after the bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Act permits competent terminally ill residents of Maine with a prognosis of six months or less to get a physicians’ prescription for life-ending medication for self-administering so they can end their life in a humane and dignified manner.
In the UK, the liberal-progressive forces made up of campaigning groups such as My Death My Decision (MDMD) and Friends At The End (FATE), as well as doctors and nurses, has formed the Assisted Dying Coalition to push for the legalisation of assisted dying for the millions of citizens in the UK and crown dependencies who want the right to choose. The Assisted Dying Coalition will campaign for the legal recognition of the right to die for individuals who have a clear and settled wish to end their life and who are terminally ill or incurably suffering. DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity supports the Coalition.
In 2018, the general advisory work and suicide attempt prevention remained an important part of the activities of the non-profit member society DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity. In the frame of its legal and political efforts, DIGNITAS wrote several submissions for consultations, and supported and accompanied court cases and political advances in Switzerland and beyond. The number of DIGNITAS’ members increases continually, whilst the number of accompanied suicides remains stable. In 2019, DIGNITAS will continue to engage in quality of life until the end, self-determination and real freedom of choice, combined with individual responsibility and advance planning. (PDF)
6 – 9 September 2018
WFRtDS World Federation of Right to Die Societies Biennial International Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, hosted by DignitySA
The South Africa Parliament invited the public to submit written comments on a proposal for a bill on Advance Directives (Livings Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare), a comment on the National Health Amendment Bill 2018, aiming at gaining legal recognition, legal clarity, and legal enforceability of Advance Directives. DIGNITAS submitted a letter in support of the proposed legal recognition.
On 23 August 2017, the Parliament of Western Australia established a Joint Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council to inquire and report on the need for laws in Western Australia to allow citizens to make informed decisions regarding their own end of life choices. DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity contributed to the inquiry by sending the Committee a comprehensive submission.
On Thursday 17 May 2018 the non-profit member society “DIGNITAS – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” celebrated its twentieth anniversary. In the twenty years of its operation the member society has seen significant success in relation to freedom of choice and self-determination in life and life’s end. (PDF)
Ignorance, irresponsibility and hypocrisy – How a majority of UK politicians violate human rights and create suffering and costs
5 April 2018
Success in the USA: Hawaii Governor David Ige signed the ‘Our Care, Our Choice' House Bill 2739. Hawaii thus becomes the seventh US-State to allow residents to request and receive a prescription medication so as to die in a peaceful, humane, and dignified manner, under the condition that the person is suffering from a medically confirmed terminal illness with less than six months to live and possessing decisional capacity.
In New Zealand, MP David Seymour introduced the “End of Life Choice Bill” (Bill 269-1) which gives people with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying. In response to the public inquiry by the Justice Committee of the Parliament of New Zealand, DIGNITAS - To live with dignity - To die with dignity handed in a submission. This complements DIGNITAS’ earlier submission in response to the investigation into ending one’s life in New Zealand based on the petition no. 2014/18 of Hon Maryan Street and 8,974 others.
Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa: "For those suffering unbearably and coming to the end of their lives, merely knowing that an assisted death is open to them can provide immeasurable comfort."
11 July 2016 / 17 June 2016 / 6 February 2015 / 4 August 2020
On 17 June 2016, Bill C-14 – an Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (Medical Assistance In Dying) – passed in the House of Commons and the Senate and is now law in Canada. The law no allows for physician-assisted accompanied suicide and voluntary euthanasia.
However, Bill C-14 will be challenged in court because it conflicts with the Supreme Court’s decision: by limiting access to only those patients whose natural deaths are “reasonably foreseeable”, the new law denies rightful access to entire classes of patients who have severe chronic conditions but who are not approaching end of life. (Link)
On 6 February 2015, in a unanimous 9:0 decision Canada’s Supreme Court has struck down the country’s Criminal Code laws prohibiting physician-assisted suicide. The rule didl not come into force for 12 months, extended by another 4 months on application by the government to gain time for drafting legislation. This delay elapsed 6 June 2016. It means it is no longer against the law, under certain circumstances, for a doctor to help someone who is severely ill to end their life.
As part of its response to the Carter decision, the Government of Canada has established the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada. The mandate of the Panel is to engage Canadians and key stakeholders on issues the federal government will need to consider in its response to the Carter ruling.
There has been criticism on the Panel being that Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov and Catherine Frazee – two of the three panellists – were witnesses against assisted dying in the Carter v. Canada case. This raises questions as to the independence of the panel, it undermines its credibility and it could lead to a biased final report. (Link)
Furthermore, there has been critique that the survey the panel used was designed to manufacture fear, for example by telling people that “some say” that assisted dying may decrease resources for the disabled and then asking whether people are concerned. Or the question of whether a hypothetical 17-year-old with a full and complete understanding of his or her condition should be able to receive a doctor's help to die – whilst in fact the Supreme Court decision dealt only with adults, not emancipated minors. (Link); for a full report read: A Methodological Analysis of the Issues Book Survey on Doctor-Assisted Dying (Link/PDF)
9 June 2016 / 2 April / 30 July 2015 / 18 December 2015
Inquiry into End of Life Choices Are Victorian laws adequately meeting people’s expectations regarding medical options available at the end of their life? The Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia, called for submission as it is interested in the community’s views, insights and experiences in relation to this issue, to inform its recommendations to the Parliament.
On 2 April 2016, a delegation of the Legal and Social Issues Committee at the Parliament of Victoria in Australia investigating End of Life Choices, including physician assisted dying, chaired by Hon Edward O'Donohue (Link), visited Dignitas to learn from the experience in Switzerland.
In December 2016, Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, announced that in 2017, Government will introduce assisted dying legislation for Parliament to vote on (Link). The news in the media (Link)
The ‘Inquiry into End of Life Choices’ in Victoria, Australia, was followed by a further discussion paper from the Victorian Government: ‘Greater say for Victorians. Improving End of Life Care’, with an aim to develop a new state-wide end of life care framework.
The Legal and Social Issues Committee tabled its Final Report on its Inquiry into End of Life Choices in Parliament on 9 June 2016 – coinciding with the day, the End of Life Option Act came into effect in the US-State of California.
In New Zealand, the Health Select Committee of the Parliament has received a petition of Hon Maryan Street and 8,974 others requesting “That the House of Representatives investigate fully public attitudes towards the introduction of legislation which would permit medically-assisted dying in the event of a terminal illness or an irreversible condition which makes life unbearable.” An investigation into ending one’s life in New Zealand was undertaken and public submissions were called on this petition, no. 2014/18.
Five states permit doctors to help terminally ill patients end their lives, but Catholic hospitals still refuse to let their patients “die with dignity.”
21 January 2015 / 4 June 2015 / 4 + 11 September 2015 / 5 October 2015
Californian State Senators Lois Wolk, Bill Monning and others, backed by Brittany Maynard’ family, introduced the ‘End of Life Option Act: modelled after the 1997 Oregon Dying with Dignity Act, the Bill would give a terminally ill, mentally competent adult resident in California, the right to ask and receive from his or her physician a prescription for a lethal drug to end his or her suffering.
On 2 September 2015, the Public Health and Developmental Services Committee of the California Assembly approved of the California End of Life Option Act by 10 : 3 votes, and two days later the Assembly Finance Commitee by 5 : 3 votes. In a next step, the bill will be voted on by both houses of the California Legislature.
On 11 September, the End of Life Option Act (SB 128) was approved by 23 : 14 votes of the Senators after it was approved by 43 : 34 votes in the Assembly. The Bill only needs one more step which is the signature of Governor Jerry Brown.
Speech by Debby Ziegler, mother of Brittany Maynard who had to move from California to Oregon in order to make use of her right to end her suffering self-determinedly:
On 5 October 2015, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., a Catholic and former Jesuit seminarian, signed the End of Life Option Act. "I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn't deny that right to others." he wrote in his signing message. Thus, California becomes a further US-State in which terminally ill have freedom of choice to self-determinedly end their suffering with physician’s assessment and prescription of medication. The End of Life Option Act definetely took effect on 9 June 2016.
11 September 2015
The British Lower Chamber, the House of Commons, held an extensive debate on the Assisted Dying Bill introduced by Rob Marris. The proposed Bill was rejected by 330 against 118 votes.
Dignitas is very disappointed that UK residents are still forced to travel to Dignitas. The 330 MPs who voted against the Assisted Dying Bill should be ashamed for their disgraceful ignorance towards the clear public opinion which is pro-choice in ‘last matters’, and even more so for forcing the people who elect them and pay taxes for them to go abroad when all they want is to have the basic human right of a self-determined, accompanied by loved ones and safe end of suffering. Clearly, these 330 MPs do not respect what the European Court of Human Rights has ruled on January 20th, 2011 (application no. 31322/07, judgement Haas, paragraph 51): ‘In the light of this jurisdiction, the Court finds that the right of an individual to decide how and when to end his life, provided that said individual was in a position to make up his own mind in that respect and to take the appropriate action, was one aspect of the right to respect for private life under Article 8 of the Convention' Dignitas sends a big Thank You to all of the 118 MPs who supported the Assisted Dying Bill. They show that there is humanism and there is hope to one day pass a Bill which will give people the freedom of choice they have been asking for decades. The main aim of Dignitas is to disappear; for this, since 1998, Dignitas works for the worldwide implementation of ‘the last human right’ – which is free choice in end-of-life options and therefore includes access to an accompanied suicide. As soon as the UK and further countries implement what is sensible and humane – which is the Swiss thirty year practice in combining palliative care, suicide attempt prevention, advance directives and the right to choose in life and at life’s end – nobody from the UK or anywhere else will have to travel to Dignitas anymore and thus Dignitas will and can close down.
5 June 2015
Vincent Humbert may die – after seven years in coma
The European Court of Human Rights allows for the discontinuation of artificial nutrition and hydration
With this judgment, the ECHR unanimously ruled admissible the application of four family members of Vincent Lambert, as far as it concerned article 2 of the Convention; by 12:5 votes, the rest of the application was considered inadmissible. When considering the question whether discontinuing measures to keep Mr. Lambert alive would be permissible, the Court decided – again by 12:5 votes – that no violation of article 2 (right to life) would result from this. Therefore, the judgment of the French High Court, the Conseil d’État, can be implemented. This signifies that the life-sustaining measures of Vincent Lambert, who has been tetraplegic, fully dependent, artificially nourished and in persistent vegetative state (PVS) since a road accident on 29 September 2009 can be discontinued. The minority of five judges, from Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Georgian Republic, Malta and Moldavia, denied the Court the title “conscious of Europe” due to this judgment.
12 May 2015
Debate in Warsaw, Poland: „Eutanazja Powinna Zostać Zalegalizowana” with Prof. Tadeusz Bartoś, Maria Czubaszek, Dr. Kamil Sipowicz, Prof. Bogdan Chazan, John Godson and Łukasz P. Skurczyński. Moderator: Grzegorz Nawrocki. Presented by the Oxbridge Society of Poland
In a Court Order of 30 April 2015 and subsequent judgment of 4 May 2015, Judge Fabricius of the High Court of South Africa (North Gauteng High Court) ruled that Robert James Stransham-Ford, who was dying of prostate cancer and who had asked the Court to determine whether a doctor could legally assist him to end his life, should be permitted to do so.
The British Upper Chamber, the House of Lords, held an extensive debate on the Assisted Dying Bill by Lord Falconer. In this Second Reading with a record 126 speakers, the Bill was supported by 64 against 59 with 3 neutral and therefore it will move on to Committee Stage.
In Australia, Federal Greens Senator and former GP Dr Richard Di Natale, has tabled an exposure draft for national dying with dignity - legislation in the Australian Senate. The Senate has passed a motion to have that Bill considered by a Senate Inquiry. The Inquiry has called for submissions from the public on the Bill. Dignitas has handed in a submission.
In Scotland, parliament member Margo MacDonald presented a revised proposal for an „Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill", to make it lawful, in certain circumstances, to assist another to commit suicide; and for connected purposes. A Commitee called for written evidence. Dignitas has submitted a response.
In this debate, the Union asks whether legalising assisted dying is moral, and whether sanctity or quality of life should be prioritised. The speakers in favour of freedom of choice in “last matters” win the debate by a clear 207 to 67 votes (with 54 abstaining). When will UK politicians listen?
16 April 2013
The Unitarian and Free Christian Churches support the Right to Die
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches held 11 – 14 April 2013 agreed the following resolution:
That this General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, recognising the worth and dignity of all people and their freedom to believe as their consciences dictate, believes that: 1) any individual who faces an intolerable existence because of a debilitating and/or incurable physical condition should have the right to seek support for the termination of their life in a painless and dignified manner and 2) legislation should respect their choice and allow them compassionate assistance in achieving such a death without fear of prosecution of anyone involved
Dignitas is delighted to have the support of the Unitarian and Free Christian Churches in our aim to enhance freedom of choice in 'the last human right'. Hopefully soon, no Briton needs to seek freedom in Switzerland anymore but may choose to have a self-determined and dignified end in life in the presence of loved ones at his or her own home.
Self-determination in the view of Europeans: The Swiss Medical Lawyers Association (SMLA) asked the renowned research institute ISOPUBLIC to carry out an extensive opinion poll, which analysed the position of the population in twelve European States on the issue of self-determination at the end of life
In Scotland, parliament member Margo Mac Donald lodged a proposal for a Bill, the „Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bil", to enable a competent adult with a terminal illness or condition to request assistance to end their own life, and to decriminalise certain actions taken by others to provide such assistance.
A message from Samantha - who allowed us to publish it here:
From: Sam D. [mailto:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
] Sent: Saturday, 8 October 2011 04:22 To: Dignitas Subject: I don't know if you will read this or not but I just have a question…
Hello.. i'm hoping you speak english.. i came across your articles today because i am feeling utterly hopeless and think your view on assisted suicide for the mentally ill is phenomenal. I know a lot of people are against it and even think the thought of it is ridiculous.
If a person with severe depression is wanting to die and has tried literally everything (medication, therapy, holistic approaches, etc.) they should be able to have control of their own life. If I am just going to continue to try to kill myself why shouldn’t i be able to have help. If there is no help for the victim and all opportunities have been explored then why should i have to continue to suffer in agony.
Do i want to live in a hospital for the rest of my life? no... Do i want to be sedated and on like 5 different medications for the rest of my life? no. Tell me, how is that living.. nobody wants to live like that in constant pain and agony. I apologize for the horrid grammar but i just do not have the will to even use punctuation. I’ve been suffering for 10 years... do i deserve to suffer for the rest of my life?
You shed light on mental illness and i applaud you. That is all.
If you read my email i thank you greatly,
- Samantha
16 May 2011
The association „DIGNITAS – to live with dignity – to die with dignity“ expresses its heartfelt gratitude, in the name of all those individuals who need help today and in future, to the Zürich voters for their clear and liberal position in questions of assistance in dying, as expressed in the results of the vote of May 15, 2011. At the same time, DIGNITAS admonishes the authorities on federal and cantonal level to pay at last attention to the protection of human life where it is vulnerable to an exceptionally high degree.
Already in 2002, the Swiss Federal Council (the Swiss Government) explained that the yearly number of suicides in Switzerland counts up to 67.000 [see footnote 1] (which compares to the size of the population of cities like Luzern or St. Gallen or even to one third of the Canton of Basel-Stadt!). The number of suicide attempts is thus fifty times higher than the number of statistically registered suicides. Despite a postulate [see footnote 2] introduced by national council member Hans Widmer (SP, LU), the government did not undertake any actions to finally establish an effective suicide-attempt prophylaxis. Instead, since 2002, the government and the majority of the media depicted the justified and through associations carefully accompanied suicides in an impertinent, hyped and distorted way; entirely in ignorance of the real attitude of the large majority of the population.
DIGNITAS regards it as imperative to finally complement the efforts so far of preventing inconsiderate suicides (suicide prophylaxis) by a carefully thought-of policy of preventing suicide attempts (suicide-attempt prophylaxis).
On 17 April 2011, an article entitled “Who is to judge which lives are worth living?” written by Barbara Ellen appeared in “The Observer”. Following is what two members of DIGNI- TAS wrote to the editor, whereby giving permission to DIGNITAS to publish their letter:
From: G.S. Burnett & M. Svanderlik Sent: 18 April 2011 13:24:24 To:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Subject: Letters to the Editor
Sir,
We must assume that Barbara Ellen ('Who is to judge which lives are worth living?') is not stupid; in which case, her thoughtless piece on assisted suicide is a disgrace to a serious newspaper and certainly no useful contribution to what is an important, contemporary debate. Ms Ellen confuses the issue by using the term, 'euthanasia' (literally "a good death") which, while technically encompassing both what we would call 'mercy killing' and 'assisted suicide', is commonly understood to mean the former, the termination of the life of another, in extremis, but without consent. This is highly tendentious and pollutes the current debate, which is principally about people's right to die when they choose, and to receive any necessary assistance to this end. To our knowledge, Terry Pratchett has never said or written anything that categorises the lives of others as "not worth living" and therefore eligible for termination. To associate his name with such a view is to vilify a wonderful writer with a fearful disease who is nobly and altruistically campaigning for the rights of others like him to end their days with dignity, at a time of their own choosing.
In imagining herself with "something nasty" (how belittling this is as a description of Alzheimer's Disease, as if it were diarrhoea or a boil) Ms Ellen opines: "The hope is that I'll choose." Exactly so. That is only what all the leaders of the current campaign are seeking: an individual's right to choose the point of his or her own death - acknowledged by the European Court of Human Rights, as recently as January this year, as an inalienable 'human right'. No-one is crusading for the introduction of mercy killing.
And to refer, en passant, to Ludwig Minelli, the prime mover behind DIGNITAS, as a "ghoul" is to defame a gentle, elderly lawyer who has given up what should have been his years of retirement and repose, to try to help relieve the appalling suffering of others. He is not a ghoul but an angel of compassion.
Ms Ellen's witless scaremongering has no place in The Observer; we suggest you point her in the direction of the Daily Mail or The Sun, where her ill-informed and odious posturing will seem less conspicuous.
Yours faithfully,
G.S. Burnett & M. Svanderlik Proud, fully paid-up UK members of DIGNITAS London
6 February 2015
In a unanimous 9:0 decision Canada’s Supreme Court has struck down the country’s Criminal Code laws prohibiting physician-assisted suicide. The rule will not come into force for another 12 months; however, it means it will no longer be against the law, under certain circumstances, for a doctor to help someone who is terminally ill to end their life.
