In Switzerland, a case was opened after the first use of a euthanasia capsule.

The prosecutor’s office of the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen opened a criminal case for instigating and facilitating euthanasia after the first use of the so-called “euthanasia capsule” Sarco – a device for voluntary euthanasia, several people were detained,  the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports.
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“The Sarco capsule was first used in Schaffhausen… The Schaffhausen prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case against several people for instigating and facilitating euthanasia,” the publication said, citing law enforcement officers.

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According to the newspaper, the capsule was used for the first time on Monday. Police detained several people on the spot. The capsule itself was confiscated.

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The developer of the capsule, Australian doctor Philip Nitschke, previously stated that the device allegedly passed a legal examination in Switzerland, according to which the capsule is not a medical device and therefore does not fall under the relevant laws.

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However, the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, citing University of Zurich professor Kerstin Fockinger, reported that the legal status of the capsule is still unclear. In the canton of Valais, the use of the capsule was banned in July.