German, French and Swiss Bishops against Assisted Suicide
July 4, 2006
Archbishops Robert Zollitsch from Freiberg and Joseph Doré from Strasbourg, together with the Basel bishop Kurt Koch, said that all humans were obliged to respect the principle of the sanctity of human life and the rights of the chronically ill and dying.
In their cross-border communiqué, released in the Swiss city of Basel on Monday, the three bishops expressed their concerns about the increasing debate surrounding assisted suicide.
Swiss allow supported suicide
Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1937 for the terminally ill who are of sound mind. The Swiss Cabinet in June rejected calls to tighten restrictions on the practice, after concerns that Dignitas, an organization which assists with suicides, killed a woman who had simply falsified her medical records to show a terminal illness in order to 'qualify' for the procedure.
Switzerland has by far the most liberal law in this respect in Europe. France and Germany currently ban the practice.
The three bishops said support for assisted suicide was based on the false perception that humans should be independent, productive and healthy.
Sickness not a burden
Freiberg's Archbishop Zollitsch told the press conference that "at present, sick, suffering and dying people are seen as a burden to be disposed of."
Archbishop Doré said the bishops did not support artificially prolonging someone's life. He said stopping an ineffective treatment can allow patients to "die in dignity", but stressed that "death should not be caused, or supported by a doctor."
A dying person should have a humane assistance and a space to come to terms with their own death, the bishops said.
It is the second time the three bishops from the neighboring cities have sent out a combined pastoral letter. Four years ago, they commented on issues surrounding bio-medical science and gene technology.