Private retirement and nursing homes in the canton of Zurich are still not obliged to allow assisted suicide on their premises – even if they are subsidized by the public sector. That should change with a cantonal popular initiative. EXIT members residing in the canton of Zurich and entitled to vote are called upon to sign the initiative, see the website with a link to the signature sheet below.
The self-determined ending of suffering and life is a freedom and a right that must not be prevented from being exercised. It must also be possible in the canton of Zurich for seriously ill and suffering people who wish to take advantage of suicide assistance to be able to stay in their domicile (retirement home or nursing home).
Therefore, several Zurich politicians and personalities who have been committed to assisted suicide for years Initiative committee “Self-determination at the end of life also in old people’s and nursing homes” merged and started a cantonal popular initiative. The two euthanasia organizations EXIT and DIGNITAS are represented on the initiative committee.
The goal of the initiative: Zurich’s old people’s and nursing homes as well as hospitals should allow assisted suicide on their premises and the residents should be able to call on the support of a euthanasia organization.
In order to achieve this, the Patients Act enshrines the right of people to receive suicide assistance where they live. In addition, the obligation of the institutions to tolerate suicide assistance on their premises is included in the health law. This guarantees compliance with the principles that the Federal Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights have laid down in their case law with regard to the freedom to determine one’s own way and time of one’s own end of life. This must be able to be carried out within the four walls of the person concerned in order to respect their personal freedom and dignity.
Correct pointless decision
With a random majority on October 31, 2022, the cantonal council ensured that the self-determination of Zurich residents remains restricted. The parliamentary initiative Göldi actually wanted to give the home residents more rights and initially found a clear majority in the cantonal council. However, opponents of euthanasia managed to water down the initiative so that private retirement and nursing homes can still refuse their residents to claim suicide assistance in their own four walls. The right of people to self-determination at the end of life must therefore be secured by means of a referendum.
EXIT and DIGNITAS are committed to the recognition of the right of self-determination for all residents throughout Switzerland. In recent years, the cantons of VD, NE, GE and VS have ensured that assisted suicide is permitted in the majority of their old people’s and care institutions. The Federal Supreme Court has already ruled that the rights of individuals outweigh the opinions of those responsible for such institutions.
Further information and signature form for download: www.self-determination-also-im-heim.ch
