Could assisted suicide seekers be banned from Switzerland?

Voters in Zurich will decide in a referendum on Sunday, whether to limit assisted suicide to residents of Zurich and whether to ban the practice altogether.

Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland for decades, and recent opinion polls show it continues to enjoy wide support among the Swiss, many of whom believe an individual has the right to decide when and how to die.

Sarah Wootton from Dignity in Dying says the option for UK residents to travel to Switzerland for assisted suicide "acts as a pressure valve" for the UK government. She believes if the Swiss ban foreigners using the service, it could step up pressure in the UK for a change in the law.

  • Subsection
  • Published