Swiss police make arrests related to Sarco death.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kate Connelly reported for the Guardian on September 24 that Swiss police made several arrests related to a Sarco suicide death. A 64-year old American woman died in the town of Merishausen Switzerland. Connelly wrote:

Swiss police say they have opened a criminal investigation and arrested several people after the suspected death of a woman in a so-called suicide capsule.

According to local reports, the capsule, named the Sarco Pod by its inventor, was used for the first time on Monday afternoon in a forest close to the German border in the Swiss town of Merishausen.

The Swiss government indicated that Sarco is not compatible with Swiss Law. Swissinfo reported on September 24:

The Sarco suicide capsule – that claims to provide assisted suicide at the touch of a button – does not comply with the law, Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told the House of Representatives on Monday.

Firstly, the capsule does not meet the requirements of product safety legislation and cannot therefore be placed on the market, the minister explained in response to a parliamentarian’s question. Furthermore, the use of nitrogen in the capsule is not compatible with the objective of the law on chemical products.

When it comes to product safety law, jurisdiction must be clarified on a case-by-case basis, said Baume-Schneider. On the other hand, the cantons are responsible for cases where nitrogen is not used in accordance with the regulations.

Exit International, an organization that is operated by Philip Nitschke, is attempting to expand the scope of the Swiss assisted suicide law.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will closely follow this case.

Previous articles:

• Sarco claims its first victim (Link).
• Sarco selling murder suicide (Link).