(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
Dublin, Ireland — Three Irish people are planning to travel to Switzerland
where an organization called Dignitas will help them to commit suicide,
according to the head of the group. They have sought information on how to
end their lives from the controversial assisted suicide group which has
assisted 128 people to commit suicide since it was established in 1998 by
Swiss lawyer Ludwig Minelli.
Next week they will travel to the US to seek the extradition of an American
assisted suicide activist who helped a Dublin woman kill herself last January.
In 2001, Dignitas assisted 50 people, including 39 foreign nationals who
travelled to Switzerland to take their own life, in what critics have
labelled “death tourism”.
Most people commit suicide by taking a 15mg of barbiturate prescribed by a
Swiss doctor following a medical consultation, as well as an initial
assessment by Dignitas.
Assisted suicide is legalised in the Netherlands and Belgium, although under
strict conditions which are not available to non-nationals. The Channel
Island of Guernsey has moved recently to enact legislation to permit assisted
suicide.
Dignitas does not limit its services to people suffering from terminal,
physical illnesses. In one case, it helped a 34-year-old multiple sclerosis
patient to take his own life.
“Mental conditions also create very heavy pain,” said Mr Minelli, who has
received the queries from Irish people.
However, he said nobody involved in Dignitas had ever faced prosecution in
relation to the assistance provided to people who commit suicide.
“The person who wants to die always has control over the last act. A third
person is never involved in their death,” said Mr Minelli. “However, most
members of Dignitas die naturally but it eases their condition if they know
they have a green light to take their own life if they want.”
The London-based pro-assisted suicide group Voluntary Euthanasia Society
(VES), has criticised Dignitas and warned British citizens they could face
14-year jail sentences if they pass on details about the Swiss group to
others.
“Not only is such assistance unlawful, some people may be assisted to die who are depressed rather than terminally ill,” said VES chief executive Deborah
Annetts.
Meanwhile, a grand jury hearing in West Virginia next Wednesday will hear a
preliminary application by gardaí for the extradition of US preacher, Rev.
George Exoo, over his role in the death of Dublin woman Rita Gilhooly, 49,
whose body was found in her home in Donnybrook last January.
Rev. Exoo admitted receiving $2,500 after he travelled to Dublin to be present
with Ms Gilhooly at her death.
The latest controversy over euthanasia comes just days after a report by the
National Parasuicide Registry which claims an average of 10,000 people try to
commit suicide in Ireland each year.
Catholic bishops, who launched a pastoral letter entitled Living with Dying,
this week described assisted suicide as morally unacceptable.
“The Catholic church absolutely rejects euthanasia as a response to chronic
or serious illness,” they said
