Travelling to Switzerland for assistance in suicide in case of terminal illness might not be possible on Sunday. A proposal by the country's religious right, the inhabitants of the canton of Zurich voted two popular initiatives about assisted suicide. Early projections point to the rejection of the two initiatives.
The first consultation, which sought a total ban on assisted suicide at the federal level, got only 15% of voter support, according to projections released by the Television Suisse Romande (TSR). The second, under the slogan "No to death tourism in the canton of Zurich" was intended to prevent the Swiss from other cantons, foreign arrivals to resort to the services of the associations established in Zurich to die, was also rejected but it would have earned 20% support.
A recent study by the University of Zurich reveals that although a vast majority is in favor of Swiss to decide on the end of their lives, one third are opposed to "suicide tourism." This is especially foreigners who came from Germany and the United Kingdom, where stricter laws prevailing in the continent.
Swiss law allows assisted suicide but not euthanasia, so that it is the patient who is given a lethal dose provided by a physician. There are two nonprofit organizations that practice, Exit and Dignitas. Of the two entities, only Dignitas accepts foreigners, who represent about 85% of annual total, which stood about a hundred people.
In addition, this organization only operates in Zurich. Although both the evangelical party and Federal Democratic Union's campaign has made the initiative with the "suicide tourism", the truth is that the wording of the vote relates to any citizen living outside the canton of Zurich. "Actually, they want to restrict access to the suicide of the Swiss living in the other 25 cantons of the country, while foreigners are rather less important," says Bernard Sutter, vice president of Dignitas.
However, it stresses that the law would be unconstitutional because they violate the principle of non-discrimination among citizens. In fact, the first initiative is just a less restrictive variant of the second, which also votes on Sunday and is not intended to prohibit only the "suicide tourism" but assisted suicide throughout the country.
"This initiative is outlawed, because assisting someone to do something that can never be legal is illegal, and suicide is legal," said Sutter, who recalled that in 2006 the Federal Court and upheld the right to self-determination for death. The result is important because it will serve the Minister of Justice, Simonetta Sommaruga, to take the pulse of society with a view to preparing a new law this summer.
After years of controversy surrounding the organizations that help to suicide (some based on facts and others, on speculation), the Swiss Government has decided to regularize the practice. 
The first consultation, which sought a total ban on assisted suicide at the federal level, got only 15% of voter support, according to projections released by the Television Suisse Romande (TSR). The second, under the slogan "No to death tourism in the canton of Zurich" was intended to prevent the Swiss from other cantons, foreign arrivals to resort to the services of the associations established in Zurich to die, was also rejected but it would have earned 20% support.
A recent study by the University of Zurich reveals that although a vast majority is in favor of Swiss to decide on the end of their lives, one third are opposed to "suicide tourism." This is especially foreigners who came from Germany and the United Kingdom, where stricter laws prevailing in the continent.
Swiss law allows assisted suicide but not euthanasia, so that it is the patient who is given a lethal dose provided by a physician. There are two nonprofit organizations that practice, Exit and Dignitas. Of the two entities, only Dignitas accepts foreigners, who represent about 85% of annual total, which stood about a hundred people.
In addition, this organization only operates in Zurich. Although both the evangelical party and Federal Democratic Union's campaign has made the initiative with the "suicide tourism", the truth is that the wording of the vote relates to any citizen living outside the canton of Zurich. "Actually, they want to restrict access to the suicide of the Swiss living in the other 25 cantons of the country, while foreigners are rather less important," says Bernard Sutter, vice president of Dignitas.
However, it stresses that the law would be unconstitutional because they violate the principle of non-discrimination among citizens. In fact, the first initiative is just a less restrictive variant of the second, which also votes on Sunday and is not intended to prohibit only the "suicide tourism" but assisted suicide throughout the country.
"This initiative is outlawed, because assisting someone to do something that can never be legal is illegal, and suicide is legal," said Sutter, who recalled that in 2006 the Federal Court and upheld the right to self-determination for death. The result is important because it will serve the Minister of Justice, Simonetta Sommaruga, to take the pulse of society with a view to preparing a new law this summer.
After years of controversy surrounding the organizations that help to suicide (some based on facts and others, on speculation), the Swiss Government has decided to regularize the practice.
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