A “death capsule” designed to carry out assisted suicides has been banned by prosecutors in Switzerland weeks before it is due to be used for the first time.
The Sarco, short for sarcophagus, would allow a euthanasia patient inside to press a button and die “in a matter of seconds,” according to the company behind the project, Exit Switzerland.
The case, which looks like something out of a science fiction movie and has been described as the “Tesla of euthanasia,” is filled with nitrogen to deprive the occupant of oxygen, rendering them unconscious before dying.
Its creator, controversial assisted dying advocate Dr Philip Nitschke, claims his invention could allow users to die quickly and painlessly.
But now prosecutors in the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen have warned that anyone helping someone use the capsules could face up to five years in prison, according to Swiss media. reports.
The Sarco, short for sarcophagus, would allow a euthanasia patient inside to press a button and die “in a matter of seconds,” according to the company behind the project, Exit Switzerland.
An early version of the Sarco Pod, which can be operated internally and works by reducing oxygen levels. No one has used it yet. The final prototype is in the final stages of preparation.
Australian euthanasia activist Philip Nitschke, the man behind the Sarco
Prosecutor Peter Sticher warned of “serious consequences” for Nitschke for “inducing, aiding and abetting suicide for selfish reasons.”
In a letter obtained by Swiss media, Sticher said: “There is no reliable information about the method of murder.
“It is not entirely clear who has control over which mechanical process during the dying process.”
Prosecutors say that under Article 115 of the canton’s criminal code it would be impossible to establish who was responsible for the murder and have therefore blocked the introduction of the device.
The ban came after Nitschke revealed in an online forum on June 10 that Sarco was expected to be deployed in Switzerland “in the coming weeks.”
He said: ‘The machine can be towed anywhere for its death.
“It could be in an idyllic outdoor setting or at the facilities of an assisted suicide organization, for example.”
Although the Australian researcher claims his device would give people the chance to end their lives “peacefully”, pro-life groups have warned the sleek, futuristic capsules “glamorise suicide”.
Sources told Swiss media that Exit Switzerland’s preparations for introducing the capsules were virtually complete and said a candidate had been selected for the first euthanasia.
It is unclear who that patient is and Dr. Nitschke and his team have neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
In an interview with MailOnline last year, Dr Nitschke explained how his invention works.
‘The person will get into the machine, be asked three questions and respond verbally: ‘Who are you?’, ‘Where are you?’ and ‘Do you know what happens if you press the button?’
‘And if they answer those questions verbally, the software turns on the device so the button can be pressed.
“And if they press the button they will die very quickly.
Australian euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke is a former doctor and director of voluntary euthanasia campaigner Exit International
“When you get into the Sarco the oxygen level is 21 percent, but after you press the button it takes 30 seconds to drop to less than 1 percent,” he said.
The doctor’s plans to use Sarco for the first time sparked outrage among pro-life organizations, including CARE.
James Mildred, its director of engagement, said: ‘Philip Nitschke’s device has been condemned by a wide range of commentators.
‘Many people believe that it trivializes and even glamorizes suicide.
We believe that suicide is a tragedy that good societies try to prevent in all circumstances. There are ethical ways of helping human beings that do not involve the destruction of life.
Sarco’s creators said in 2021 that it had passed legal review in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal and hundreds of people use the services of organisations such as Dignitas and Exit (a separate group from Dr Nitschke’s) every year.
But Kerstin Noëlle Vokinger, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Zurich, previously said Sarco might need certification under the country’s medical device law, which it does not.
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