Federal Court backs assisted suicide of healthy woman

The Federal Court has acquitted the vice-president of the assisted suicide group Exit after it helped a healthy 86-year-old woman to end her life.

Dr. Pierre Beck was charged under the narcotics act when he prescribed a powerful anaesthetic, which is used during the procedure, in 2017.

The woman wanted to end her life at the same time as her terminally ill husband. 

Federal judges were hearing a case brought by prosecutors in Geneva after a lower court had also backed the doctor.

They ruled by four votes to one that the death was lawful.

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