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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Euthanasia activist arrested over 'suicide pod' dies
A pro-euthanasia activist who was arrested following the death of a woman using the world's first so-called suicide pod has died. Dr Florian Willet, 47, was reportedly the only other person present when a 64-year-old American woman took her own life using the device in a forest in Switzerland last September. The pod's inventor Philip Nitschke told BBC News that Dr Willet died by assisted suicide in Germany. In a separate statement, Mr Nitschke said Dr Willet had suffered psychological trauma following his arrest and detention in connection with the Switzerland death. If you are experiencing any of the issues mentioned in this story you can visit BBC Action Line for a list of websites and helplines that can offer direct help at any time. "In the final months of his life, Dr Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should," he said. The Last Resort - an assisted dying organisation founded by Dr Willet to facilitate the use of the pod - said the arrest had left him "broken". The activist was held in pre-trial detention for 70 days while police investigated whether he had intentionally killed the woman - an allegation he was not charged with. Prior to his death on 5 May, Dr Willet fell from a third-floor window, the group said, leaving him requiring surgery and needing to be "cared for by a full psychiatric team". While assisted dying is legally protected in some circumstances in Switzerland, it is strictly regulated, and the pod has encountered opposition. Advocates say the device - manufactured by Sarco - provides an assisted dying option which is not reliant on drugs or doctors and expands potential access. Critics fear the device's modern design glamorises suicide, and that the fact that it can be operated without medical oversight is concerning. Assisted dying is illegal in the UK and in most other European countries, but thousands have travelled to Switzerland over the years to end their own lives. BBC News has contacted the Swiss prosecutor's office for comment.
News18
03-06-2025
- Health
- News18
‘Suicide Pod' Activist Takes Own Life Months After Arrest Over Woman's Death In Euthanasia Device
Dr Florian Willet, director of Swiss suicide organisation Last Resort, died by assisted suicide after being investigated for the death of a woman using the Sarco suicide pod. Dr Florian Willet, a prominent right-to-die activist and director of the Swiss suicide organisation Last Resort, has died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, months after being investigated for the death of a woman who became the first person to use the Sarco suicide pod. Willet, 47, was arrested in September 2024 by Swiss authorities after a 64-year-old American woman with an immune disease died inside the nitrogen-filled capsule in a secluded forest near Merishausen, Switzerland, The Sun reported. Designed by euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke, the Sarco pod had long stirred ethical and legal debates. The woman's death marked its first real-world use — and triggered a criminal investigation. Although suicide is legal in Switzerland under strict conditions, the use of the pod had never been officially sanctioned. Prosecutors raised suspicions of 'intentional homicide" after alleged strangulation marks were found on the woman's neck. This led to Willet being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days — the only person among several initially detained, including two lawyers and a journalist, to remain in custody. The allegations deeply affected Willet's mental health, according to Nitschke, founder of Exit International and inventor of the Sarco pod. In a statement following Willet's death, Nitschke recalled how his colleague emerged from custody a changed man. 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence," he said. 'In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation." Willet, a German national, was reportedly admitted to psychiatric care twice after his release in December 2024. Nitschke said he developed 'an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder," which psychiatrists linked to the intense psychological stress of the criminal probe. In early 2025, Willet also suffered severe injuries from a fall from the third floor of his Zurich residence. On May 5, Willet reportedly ended his life with the assistance of a specialized organisation in Cologne, Germany. Nitschke confirmed the death and praised Willet as a thoughtful, kind, and passionate advocate for the right to choose when and how to die. 'In the final months of his life, Florian shouldered more than any man should," he said. Before his death, Willet had maintained that the woman's death in the pod was 'peaceful, fast, and dignified." He notified authorities immediately after it occurred. Supporters of the pod claimed that the marks resembling strangulation could have been caused by the woman's medical condition — skull base osteomyelitis — rather than any foul play. Willet's death draws uncomfortable parallels to the weight of public and legal scrutiny surrounding assisted dying. It also raises serious questions about how society treats individuals advocating for controversial medical technologies. A committed campaigner since his youth, Willet once said he had thought about the concept of suicide from the age of five and accepted his father's death by suicide at 14. His final act, much like the work he dedicated his life to, reignites the debate over autonomy, ethics, and the legal challenges surrounding assisted dying in Europe and beyond. First Published: June 03, 2025, 14:55 IST
Scottish Sun
03-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Suicide pod activist Dr Florian Willet takes own life after arrest over ‘murder' of woman who used euthanasia device
A SUICIDE pod activist has taken his own life after being interrogated over the murder of a woman who died in one of the euthanasia devices. Florian Willet, 47, suffered a mental health crisis after he was arrested by Swiss Police last year, according to Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the Sarco suicide capsule. 2 The Sarco assisted suicide capsule Credit: AFP 2 Florian Willet has taken his own life at 47 Credit: AFP Willet, from Germany, was the director of Last Resort, the Swiss suicide organisation which operated the Sarco pods. He was also a prominent right-to-die activist. The director was investigated for aiding and abetting suicide. As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out. Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days. Nitschke, who also directs pro-assisted dying group Exit International, said: 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation." He revealed that his colleague Willet sought help and went into hospital twice before his death on May 5. Willet reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died. Nitschke continued: 'To describe Florian is to talk of a man who was thoughtful, caring, funny, and friendly. He was an easy person to be around. 'But most of all, Florian was kind. Florian was also passionate about a person's right to choose when to die.' More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Sun
03-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Suicide pod activist Dr Florian Willet takes own life after arrest over ‘murder' of woman who used euthanasia device
A SUICIDE pod activist has taken his own life after being interrogated over the murder of a woman who died in one of the euthanasia devices. Florian Willet, 47, suffered a mental health crisis after he was arrested by Swiss Police last year, according to Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the Sarco suicide capsule. 2 2 Willet, from Germany, was the director of Last Resort, the Swiss suicide organisation which operated the Sarco pods. He was also a prominent right-to-die activist. The director was investigated for aiding and abetting suicide. As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out. Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days. Nitschke, who also directs pro-assisted dying group Exit International, said: 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation." He revealed that his colleague Willet sought help and went into hospital twice before his death on May 5. Willet reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died. Nitschke continued: 'To describe Florian is to talk of a man who was thoughtful, caring, funny, and friendly. He was an easy person to be around. 'But most of all, Florian was kind. Florian was also passionate about a person's right to choose when to die.' . YOU'RE NOT ALONE EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide. It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
The Irish Sun
03-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Suicide pod activist Dr Florian Willet takes own life after arrest over ‘murder' of woman who used euthanasia device
A SUICIDE pod activist has taken his own life after being interrogated over the murder of a woman who died in one of the euthanasia devices. Florian Willet, 47, suffered a mental health crisis after he was arrested by Swiss Police last year, according to Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the Sarco suicide capsule. 2 The Sarco assisted suicide capsule Credit: AFP 2 Florian Willet has taken his own life at 47 Credit: AFP Willet, from Germany, was the director of Last Resort, the Swiss suicide organisation which operated the Sarco pods. He was also a prominent right-to-die activist. The director was investigated for aiding and abetting suicide. As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out. Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days. Nitschke, who also directs pro-assisted dying group Exit International, said: 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation." He revealed that his colleague Willet sought help and went into hospital twice before his death on May 5. Willet reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died. Most read in The US Sun Nitschke continued: 'To describe Florian is to talk of a man who was thoughtful, caring, funny, and friendly. He was an easy person to be around. 'But most of all, Florian was kind. Florian was also passionate about a person's right to choose when to die.' More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at YOU'RE NOT ALONE EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide. It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans,
