Sarco Suicide Capsule Sparks Controversy in Switzerland: Police Arrest Multiple After First Use in Assisted Death

Swiss authorities have arrested several individuals after the controversial "Sarco" capsule, designed for assisted suicide, was used for the first time. The incident occurred in the municipality of Merishausen, located in the northern canton of Schaffhausen, near the German border. The futuristic capsule was deployed in a wooded area on Monday.

Prosecutors in Schaffhausen have launched a criminal investigation, charging several people with "inducing and aiding and abetting suicide." Police confirmed that multiple individuals were detained, but did not release specific details about the deceased or those arrested.

According to a spokesperson for The Last Resort, the organization behind the Sarco capsule, the deceased was a 64-year-old American woman suffering from a severely compromised immune system. Florian Willet, co-president of The Last Resort, was among those arrested, along with a Dutch journalist and two Swiss nationals. Willet was the only person present at the time of the woman’s death, which was described by The Last Resort as "peaceful, fast, and dignified."

The organization also confirmed that the woman had undergone psychiatric evaluations before her death. However, prosecutors in Schaffhausen declined to provide further information about the detainees.

The "Sarco" capsule, designed by Australian physician Philip Nitschke, allows its occupant to release nitrogen gas, reducing oxygen levels to lethal amounts, resulting in a painless death. Nitschke has been a prominent figure in the assisted suicide movement since the 1990s.

Switzerland has long been a haven for advocates of assisted suicide due to its permissive legal framework. The Last Resort claimed that its legal team had advised that the capsule could be used legally in the country.

The device has sparked significant media attention and debate among authorities. Swiss health minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider stated that the capsule does not meet product safety standards, and the use of nitrogen in this manner is not legally compliant.