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.
