Media

4 August 2024 (updated 10 September)

Background to the Misinformation that has been spread in Swiss Media

In mid May, ‘Jennifer’ travelled to Europe in the hope of using the Sarco device.

She had joined Exit International as a member in July 2023 and had written expressly about wanting to use the device because it represented a de-medicalised option.

She liked the fact that it could be used outside in nature with a view of the Alps.

As an only child, with no close relatives, she said she appreciated the solitude that the Sarco offered. She did not want to be held by someone as she took her last breath.

Prior to her arrival in Europe, Jennifer expressed interest in talking to three trusted and respected journalists, on the condition that nothing would be published until after she had died.

A long career in corporate communications and a desire to, in her words, ‘extoll the virtues’ and ‘publicly share massive support’ led to her willing and enthusiastic participation in documenting her special journey.

On arrival in Europe, Jennifer had a bucket-list of items she wanted to tick off. She wanted to travel on the Glacier Express train, a short stay in 5-star hotel and to visit her ancestors’ burial site in Scotland.

The Last Resort team worked tirelessly to make her wish-list come true.

Equally, they worked to protect her privacy.

But this was not to be.

Somehow, Swiss newspaper NZZ got news that ‘someone’ was about to use the Sarco.

Their initial article on 3 July quoted Ruedi Habegger at Pegasos extensively.

It was then reported that Exit’s former Swiss coordinator, Sean Davison, was about to become the head of Pegasos (a fact unknown to Exit). A media leak did indeed take place.

When NZZ contacted The Last Resort seeking comment prior to publication, Dr Florian Willet pleaded with the journalist to hold off in order to not damage the person’s chosen path, and their mental health.

In the first week of July, Jennifer’s mood had become noticeably depressed and her behaviour increasingly erratic. Her MDD re-ignited, leading her towards an increasingly psychotic state.

While she had wanted to spend a week alone in Zermatt to gather her thoughts, this period of solitude proved disastrous.

In telephone calls and text messages it was clear that something was very wrong.

When NZZ refused to hold off publication, Jennifer’s fate seemed sealed.

A firestorm of media ensued in the German-language media.

The Last Resort did not tell Jennifer about the storm in order to protect her sanity. However, others did make her aware.

Jennifer went on to die at another clinic from a free lethal injection on 25 or 26 July.

Before she died, she made a series of allegations about The Last Resort.

These allegations were, presumably, made in conjunction with others who have deep financial interests in the business of assisted suicide in Switzerland.

The NZZ reported these allegations in the days after Jennifer’s death.

On 6 September, NZZ published a major correction (online and in print) about their reporting acknowledging significant errors.

While the TLR is pleased that the NZZ has acknowledged fault, the organisation has reserved its legal rights on the matter.

Summary

Had Jennifer’s end of life plans not been willfully exposed by the NZZ prior to her death, she may have still been able to use the Sarco device (which was her greatest wish)

Her MDD may have been kept in check and she may not have needed to have had the Sarco withdrawn.

Jennifer would then not have been seemingly manipulated into making untrue and baseless claims about the Sarco, The Last Resort or those who supported her time in Europe.

The Take-Away

Sarco is a lawful, free option for an assisted suicide in Switzerland.*

*The only consumable, nitrogen, is expected to cost ~ CHF18. There are other costs, eg. body removal, cremation and these are common for all accompanied suicides in the country.

Sarco is free to use, drug-free, and less demanding of the medical profession (no doctor’s prescription  for lethal drugs is required) than other methods.

The Sarco also serves a unique need among older people who are not seriously ill and others such as couples who find it next to impossible to get a doctor to presecribe them Nembutal (because they are not sick).

The campaign against Sarco’s introduction has powerful players who are deeply hostile to the new idea which the free Sarco represents.

Since Sarco was unveiled at Venice Design in 2018, the NZZ has taken an overtly critical line, replete with misinformation and consistent editorial bias.

The NZZ print correction to their reported allegations is below:

The NZZ online correction reads:

Korrigendum vom 3. September 2024: Am 31. Juli publizierte die NZZ die Geschichte von Jessica Campbell, die als erste Person in der Suizidkapsel Sarco hätte sterben können. In einem Schreiben, das sie nach ihrem Tod bei einer anderen Sterbehilfeorganisation hinterliess, erhebt Campbell schwere Vorwürfe gegen die Leute, die hinter Sarco stehen. Es sind dies insbesondere Fiona Stewart und Florian Willet von der Organisation The Last Resort. Die NZZ konfrontierte Willet und Stewart mit diesen Vorwürfen und gab auch Willets Antworten detailliert wieder: Er stritt alle «Unterstellungen» ab. Willet betonte auch, dass es «selbstverständlich» nicht möglich sei, der NZZ jene Dokumente vorzulegen, die eine «freundlichen Interaktion zwischen unserer Interessentin und uns» belegen würden. Nach Publikation des Artikels hat The Last Resort nun aber der NZZ zahlreiche Dokumente zur Verfügung gestellt, die einige Aussagen von Jessica Campbell widerlegen oder zumindest in Frage stellen. So hat Fiona Stewart die Reise nach Schottland selbst bezahlt, dies zeigen Kontoauszüge zu Flug- und Hotelbuchungen sowie Reservationen eines Mietwagens. In einer SMS bedankte sich Campbell zudem überschwänglich bei Stewart für die Reise, die das «Abenteuer ihres Lebens» gewesen sei. Auch die Behauptung von Campbell, man habe gegen ihren Willen ein Hotel für 1000 Franken pro Nacht für sie gebucht, kann Stewart widerlegen. Campbell schrieb in einer Nachricht, sie würde gern ein einem Luxushotel absteigen. Stewart wies Campbell darauf hin, dass das Hotel in Luzern «extrem teuer» sei, was Campbell offensichtlich nicht dazu veranlasste, die Buchung zu stoppen. Gegen die Aussage von Campbell, sie sei ausgebeutet worden, spricht weiter die Tatsache, dass sie bei ihrem Tod unbezahlte Rechnungen in der Höhe von rund 1400 Franken hinterliess, etwa für drei Hotelübernachtungen und eine Fahrt im Glacier Express, 1. Klasse. Nicht korrekt ist die Aussage im Artikel, dass Zermatt, wo sich Campbell aufhielt, einer der möglichen Orte für die Sarco-Premiere war. Da sich Stewart gemäss eigenen Angaben nicht in Zermatt befand, trifft ihrer Ansicht nach die Aussage Campells nicht zu, wonach es Stewart nicht zugelassen habe, dass Campell in Zermatt trotz blutigem Husten einen Arzt oder eine Apotheke hätte aufsuchen können. Die im Artikel von Campell geäusserte Behauptung, wonach sie gegen ihren Willen von einem Kameramann begleitet worden sei, bestreitet Stewart mit Hinweis auf gegenteilig lautende SMS-Chats ebenfalls.