Many people know such a term as euthanasia, despite the fact that in Russia the implementation of this act is punishable by law. In our country, it qualifies as a murder. Translated from Greek, the word means "good, good death." Euthanasia was introduced into medical practice as a means of helping a terminally ill person experiencing intolerable pains to get rid of them by the method of termination of life. For this, a special drug or other means are used that guarantee a quick and painless death. There is also such a type of euthanasia as passive, when doctors stop supporting therapy.
We are talking about this in our article for a reason. Many will think: what is the connection between Dignitas (what it is, it will soon become clear) and “good death”? Yes, the most direct. You can verify this right now.
Euthanasia: laws of different countries and people's opinions
People have a different view of euthanasia. Some react sharply negatively, explaining this by saying that "to all the will of God." Others support euthanasia, believing that a person who wants to get rid of hellish pain due to an incurable disease has every right to do so. Given that not everyone can commit suicide because of their physical or moral capabilities, there must be a person who will help him in this. And undoubtedly, such a role is assigned to the doctor.
Euthanasia is now permitted in several countries. These are Albania, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland. But in the last country, not everything is so simple.
Dignitas - what is it?
The name is translated from Latin as "virtue". Dignitas is a Swiss clinic, or rather a non-profit organization, where people with fatal illnesses or severe disabilities can use an unusual service called “assisted suicide”. That is, they receive a substance, after which they die, saving themselves from torment.
As such, euthanasia (with the participation of a doctor) is not permitted in Switzerland, but assisted suicide is possible. At the same time, a person who wants to settle accounts with his life must be examined by a psychiatrist, who will issue a conclusion that the patient really made a decision on his own, being in his right mind and bright memory. There should also be documentary evidence that a person is actually terminally ill and is tormented by this.
Founder of Dignitas Clinic and his attitude towards euthanasia
How did the Dignitas institution appear? What is it, we already know. But who is the founder of the "death clinic," and who does he consider himself: a benefactor or an executioner? So that everything immediately falls into place, it is worth saying that the director of this organization is a lawyer. Being “on you” with the laws of his country, he still found loopholes thanks to which the clinic has the right to exist.
Dignitas was opened in 1998. As already mentioned above, this is a non-profit organization, that is, the purpose of its existence is not profit. That's exactly what the lawyer and owner of the clinic Ludwig Minelli took advantage of. Under Swiss law, one person can help pass away to another if he does it disinterestedly. Well, of course, with the consent of the second.
Swiss laws and the existence of the Dignitas Clinic
Given all of the above, we can conclude that the "death cloister" exists quite legally, and Minelli cannot be prosecuted, since everything is in order with the documents. But here another question is brewing: why is the lawyer himself? Is he really such a compassionate citizen?
In fact, the clinic receives its income. Services here are in the range of 4-7 thousand euros. The clinic is still working because all the money received from terminally ill or “tired of life” people goes to medical events, and sometimes even to organize the funeral of former wards. However, those who once worked at the Dignitas organization (Switzerland) claim that sometimes patients who decide to have euthanasia include Minelli in their will. But this happens of free will. Therefore, there is nothing to present to the director. That's why he is a lawyer to organize everything correctly.
Minelli very rarely gives interviews. But in one of them he said that a person has the right to dignity. It’s easy to guess that Minelli considers his “work” a good deed.
Beautiful suicide or a chance of salvation?
The question of who can say goodbye to his life also has its own nuances. Euthanasia can be performed in a person who has incurable and serious diseases, paralysis and chronic pain of any etiology, and life for him is a torment and the expectation of death.
In Dignitas, in fact, it turns out a little differently. A person can come to this clinic and say that he is tired of living, so he wants to die. However, he was not diagnosed with any diseases. Most often these are women. Such people, as they themselves say, are simply tired of living. Documented all of these patients have severe mental disorders.
In an interview a few years ago, Minelli said that his clinic in Switzerland (Dignitas) would help commit suicide to a completely healthy woman. Of course, a flurry of criticism fell upon his head, from which the director himself only dismissed it. He said that suicide should be available not only to those who suffer from physical, but also from mental pain. And this woman decided to die with her husband, dying of an incurable disease, because she does not see the point of her continued existence without a loved one.
Dignitas Clinic - initiator of the “death tourism” in Switzerland
Few people know about the existence of such a thing as “eutotourism”. We can say that it appeared thanks to Switzerland. Dignitas Clinic is located in Zurich - one of the most popular tourist cities in the country. But for some time now this popularity has become “black”.
Even 10 years ago, data began to appear that Switzerland was becoming the most popular country in Europe, which was chosen precisely thanks to a new direction called “death tourism”. The role of Dignitas cannot be ruled out here, because there are not so many similar establishments. Add to this the loyal attitude of Swiss laws to seriously ill and paralyzed people, and as a result we get complete impunity for people like Minelli.
The formation of the “tourism of death” led to the talk of closing the Dignitas clinic, a photo of which can be seen in this article. But for this it is necessary to develop a number of relevant bills. It's been already 7 years since the discussion of this issue, but the deal has not moved forward. Eutotourism, meanwhile, continues to "flourish."
Data that shock
In 2010, the media reported that 20% of those who went through euthanasia at the Dignitas Clinic had not only fatal, but no illnesses at all. They were completely healthy in every way people.
All death certificates issued to former patients at Dignitas Clinic were examined. What it is? Why was a person able to get euthanasia, being absolutely healthy? Researchers were not able to understand this, because 16% of the documents did not contain information about the existing disease. According to some reports, these people simply stopped loving life. Among them are atheists and divorced, well-educated and lucrative citizens. Most are women.
Will the "abode of death" be closed?
Until small loopholes are blocked by the relevant bill, the state will not be able to take any action to close the clinic where euthanasia is possible. Dignitas is today a notorious institution whose activities raise certain doubts in terms of legality. But, again, they were planning to close the clinic back in 2009, and now it is already approaching the end of 2016. Therefore, it is even impossible to imagine when this organization will be closed, and whether it will be deprived of its right to operate in general.