Dr Florian Willet: Pro-euthanasia campaigner takes own life after arrest for Sarco suicide pod death
Psychological trauma has been attributed to the assisted suicide of a euthanasia advocate, who was recently arrested for his involvement in the use of a suicide pod in Switzerland.
The German head of Swiss organisation The Last Resort, Dr Florian Willet, died by suicide according to the BBC after investigations into the assisted death of a 64-year-old American woman who used a Sarco euthanasia pod to take her own life in Switzerland forest last year.
Dr Willet was arrested in September 2024 and held in jail for 70 days on suspicion of inciting and assisting suicide as he was the only person present in the Swiss forest when the suicide pod was used.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Sarco pod was invented by another pro-euthanasia supporter, Australian Phillip Nitschke, who released a statement confirming Dr Willet’s death.
Mr Nitschke said Dr Willet suffered psychological trauma following his arrest and detention in connection to the Switzerland death, and died by assisted suicide in Germany.
“In the final months of his life, Dr Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should,” Mr Nitschke said.
Allegations of strangulation were made during the investigation but were later dismissed.
The Sarco pod, was designed to induce a peaceful death through nitrogen gas inhalation, but the ongoing use in certain countries continues to garner criticism and its use has been suspended pending the outcome of investigations.
Dr Willet was held in pre-trial detention for 70 days while police investigated whether he had intentionally killed the woman - an allegation he was not charged with.
Prior to his death on May 5, Dr Willet fell from a third-floor window, a The Last Resort statement said, leaving him requiring surgery and needing to be “cared for by a full psychiatric team” after being left “broken” by the arrest.
Switzerland is one of six countries across Europe to have some form of legalised assisted dying alongside the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Austria.
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