Although assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, it is nonetheless regulated. Several people were arrested after using a suicide assistance capsule on Monday. Similar to a sarcophagus, it allows people to take their own lives without outside intervention. Criminal proceedings are underway, and the device, called “Sarco”, has been seized. The Swiss government believes that it “does not comply with the law”, and the existence of this capsule has caused a great deal of emotion in the country, where suicide must be accompanied by a doctor.
L’association The Last Resort, created a few months ago and funded by private donations, is behind the design of this capsule. It had already announced in July its intention to use it by the end of the year. To use it, you have to slip into the cabin and lie down, before answering several questions to confirm that you are conscious of your action, in full possession of your faculties. A psychiatric examination will also have been carried out beforehand.
The person inside “Sarco” must then press the button themselves that will end their life. This action releases nitrogen, which, if inhaled, leads to loss of consciousness and asphyxiation, leading to death within minutes, The Last Resort explained.
“An object that can be transported to a chosen location”
On its website, the association states that the story of the “Sarco” was “inspired” by Tony Nicklinson, a British man suffering from locked-in syndrome (the person sees everything, hears everything but cannot move or speak, due to complete motor paralysis). “Well known for his invention of the delivery machine (now at the British Science Museum), Dr Philip Nitschke was approached in 2012 by Tony Nicklinson’s legal team to develop a technological solution to help Tony legally end his life. The idea for Sarco was born,” it reads. “The aim (…) of Sarco was to create a portable object (…) that could be transported to a chosen outdoor location: for example, the forest, the beach or the mountains. Dying under a clear night sky or in a rainstorm is better than a windowless room in an industrial estate,” the charity explains.
The Last Resort plans to make the plans for making the capsule using a 3D printer available to people aged 50 and over, although it says that requests from younger people who are seriously and physically ill will be considered. The nitrogen required costs 18 Swiss francs (€18.60). The association also claims that people with disabilities “should not be disadvantaged”, and that to do so, “activation by eye movement or voice command could be considered”. Furthermore, The Last Resort has stated its intention to incorporate AI into the device to “verify the mental capacities of potential users”.
