Authorities and the assisted suicide organisation Exit say many things must be clarified before the unusual case can proceed.
Keystone
A 64-year-old prisoner in canton Bern wants to end his life with the aid of Swiss assisted suicide organisation Exit. His unusual request has raised many questions, both with Exit and the justice authorities.
Exit informed the detainee that his request would be taken seriously, but his case involves special circumstances that must be clarified. The assisted suicide organisation has declined to comment further, as it cannot give details on an individual case.
However, Pierre Beck, vice president of Exit in French-speaking Switzerland, told Swiss Public Radio, RTS on Saturday that a seriously ill detainee in Geneva’s Champ-Dollon prison had made a similar request about a year ago. “We were not able to enter into the matter,” Beck said.
In the request to Exit, the detainee wrote that his life was not worth living for three reasons: he suffers from an incurable lung disease that will worsen, he has been diagnosed with a serious and incurable mental illness, and the canton of Bern has refused to allow him to go on accompanied outings for several years, disregarding a decision by the Bern Supreme Court. The prisoner has likened this refusal to “psychological torture” that deprives him of all “prospects of the future”.
The demand was made public by the organisation for prisoners and marginalised individuals, Reform91. Its president, Peter Zimmermann, spoke to the Swiss News Agency, ATS with the prisoner’s agreement.
The Office of Judicial Enforcement of canton Bern said that it has received no formal request specifically regarding assisted suicide. The office’s deputy head, Laszlo Polgar, said that Swiss law does not yet regulate cases where detainees wish to resort to assisted suicide. He said that the current zero-risk policy has increased the length of prison stays, and that the laws must take this into account in the future. However, he added that it would certainly not be possible for a detainee to escape his or her sentence through assisted suicide.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Aussie adoptee gains Swiss citizenship at 54 thanks to old envelope
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Music strengthens brain connections in premature babies, Swiss study shows
This content was published on
In premature babies, music strengthens connections in certain areas of the brain, according to a years-long study by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
WEF gives Crystal Award to Beckham, Yamamoto and von Fürstenberg
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum in Davos handed out awards to UNICEF ambassador David Beckham, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto and women's rights activist Diane von Fürstenberg.
Swiss CEOs betting on a strong domestic market in 2025
This content was published on
Swiss business leaders are optimistic about 2025, despite a world in crisis, says a new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
Michelle Hunziker to co-present Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Swiss-Italian television moderator Michelle Hunziker will be one of the presenters of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), scheduled for May 13-17 in Basel.
Seniors face high public transport costs in Switzerland
This content was published on
Public transport ticket prices for adults in Switzerland are around the European average, according to a study. Swiss senior citizens and business travellers tend to pay more.
This content was published on
The amount of unproductive land in Switzerland has hardly changed in recent decades. Nationwide, it shrank by around 2% between 1985 and 2018.
Rescue teams had hands full at Lauberhorn ski race
This content was published on
From broken bones to heart attacks, the rescue teams had a busy weekend at the Ski World Cup in Wengen, which attracted a record 80,000 fans.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Bishop weighs in to assisted suicide debate
This content was published on
Bishop of Basel Felix Gmür has criticized the publicity surrounding the recent assisted suicide in Switzerland of a 104-year-old Australian.
This content was published on
A 104-year-old Australian scientist who ended his life in Switzerland on Thursday explained on the eve of his assisted suicide why choosing how and when to die should be a right.
This content was published on
Founder of assisted suicide organisation Dignitas appears before a local court on charges of profiteering, the first case of its kind in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.