Right to die: censorship move in Germany
Apr 14th, 2006 by ergo
FIRST IN AUSTRALIA, NOW PERHAPS GERMANY…
On March 27, three of the German Federal States introduced in the Council of the Federal States (Bundesrat) a proposal for a new German law which, if it became law, would make it difficult to provide information on assisted suicide or self-deliverance.
The proposal — in translation — is entitled ‘Draft of a law to prohibit the dissemination on a business basis of information offering options of self-deliverance.’
The purpose behind this legislative move appears to be to force the Swiss lawyer, Ludwig A Minnelli, to close down his recently opened DIGNITATE office in Hanover. German members are entitled to receive the same assistance as DIGNITAS, in Switzerland, provides to its members — physician-assisted suicide for the terminally and hopelessly ill adult.
If passed, the law would probably affect all right-to-die organization activities in Germany.
It promises to be a controversial debate.
On 6 January 2006, the Australian federal government introduced the Suicide Related Materials Offences Act, which makes it a crime in Australia to use the telephone, email, fax and Internet to discuss the practicalities of end of life issues.
As a consequence, Exit International has moved its headquarters to New Zealand.
