American woman dies in death capsule Sarco operators comment on the operation in Schaffhausen

The controversial "Sarco" suicide capsule has been used for the first time. The Schaffhausen police then arrested several people. The operators write of a "peaceful" death.

The controversial Sarco suicide capsule has been used for the first time in a forest hut in the canton of Schaffhausen. One person took his own life with the aid of the capsule. The Schaffhausen police subsequently arrested several people, as reported on Tuesday.

According to the Dutch newspaper "NL Times", the deceased is a 64-year-old American woman. The woman is said to have traveled to Switzerland especially for the suicide and died on Monday afternoon at around 4 pm. A photojournalist from a Dutch newspaper is said to be among those arrested.

On its website, the organization "The Last Resort" - operator of Sarco - states that co-president Florian Willet was the only person present at the suicide. Sarco "worked as planned" and brought the woman a "drug-free, peaceful death", Nitschke is quoted as saying. According to co-president Fiona Stewart, the organization has always acted on the advice of its lawyers.

The inventor of the capsule, Philipp Nitschke, shared an article on X at midday about the Sarco operation. According to Nitschke, the 64-year-old American was the first person to enter the capsule.

Baume-Schneider: Sarco is not legally compliant

It was only on Monday that Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (SP) said during question time in parliament that the Sarco suicide capsule was not legally compliant. In the summer, the public prosecutor's offices of several cantons announced that they would initiate criminal proceedings if the capsule was used in their canton - including Schaffhausen.

Last summer, an announcement that the suicide capsule would be used in Switzerland sparked a discussion about its legal conformity. Its possible use caused a stir among the Swiss public and politicians.

The premiere was originally planned for July in the canton of Schaffhausen. The public prosecutor's offices of several cantons announced that they would initiate criminal proceedings if the capsule was used in their jurisdiction.