Swiss police made several arrests following the reported suicide of an individual using a so-called suicide pod, marking what appears to be the first incident of its kind.
Authorities in the Schaffhausen region detained “several individuals” on suspicion of inciting and assisting suicide after a person died using a device created by the company Sarco on Monday.
While assisted dying is legally permitted under certain conditions in Switzerland, the Sarco pod has faced criticism.
Police recovered both the device and the body from a scene in a forest hut in the Merishausen area, located near the German border.
The police were alerted by a law firm about the incident involving the pod. The identities of those arrested and the deceased have not been released.
In July, a pro-assisted dying organization that advocates for the Sarco pod mentioned that it expected the device to be utilized for the first time this year.
Supporters argue that it offers an alternative to drug-based methods and enhances access to euthanasia, as the portable device can be 3D-printed and assembled at home.
Despite Switzerland’s progressive assisted dying laws, the pod has sparked opposition. Critics are concerned that its modern design may glamorize suicide and that its operation without medical supervision raises safety issues.
Assisted dying remains illegal in the UK and most other European nations, but many individuals have traveled to Switzerland over the years to end their lives.
