The Challenges of DIGNITAS in the Future - Part 1: legal and political

Switzerland does not have a specific law or act regulating the procedure of professional assisted suicide. However, this does not mean that there is no legal basis. In fact, there are a number of law articles and court decisions in place which build a robust framework and which have been the basis for the now 35 years of Swiss practice of assisted suicide combined with further end-of -life help.

This practice, which has its roots in the tradition of freedom and self-responsibility, has been attacked again and again. Some politicians, religious-conservatives, self-declared 'experts', 'ethics commission' members, interest groups of psychiatrists, and 'health authorities' including some medical interest groups tend to oppose freedom of personal choice and will try to undermine the legal status quo on a political and legal level with the aim of narrowing the scope of help and reducing an individual's right to self-determination.

DIGNITAS hopes one day people will not need to turn to DIGNITAS and Switzerland anymore. The freedom and the right to choose must be implemented worldwide and defended.

#DIGNITAS pamphlet