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"Assisted suicide" is a contradiction in terms. "Suicide" that
comes about through the involvement of others is not suicide. Section 2
of the British Suicide Act, 1961, which outlaws assisting another person
to commit suicide prohibits "assisted suicide" for the very good reason
that taking part in a plan to cause another person's death, even without
involving one directly in that death, amounts to conspiracy to murder.
Aiding and abetting another's suicide carries a maximum 14 year jail term.
European laws recognize three crimes associated with suicide. (1)
Aiding suicide: increasing the probability of suicidal behavior, e.g., by
knowingly providing the means. (2) Abetting suicide: providing the means
and attempting to influence the suicidant's will and therefore his/her
behavior.
(3) Driving somebody to suicide: threatening the suicidant in a manner
which can be seen as causally related to his/her ensuing suicidal
behavior.
"Assisted suicide" is not suicide
"Assisted suicide" is a contradiction in terms. "Suicide" that
comes about through the involvement of others is not suicide. Section 2
of the British Suicide Act, 1961, which outlaws assisting another person
to commit suicide prohibits "assisted suicide" for the very good reason
that taking part in a plan to cause another person's death, even without
involving one directly in that death, amounts to conspiracy to murder.
Aiding and abetting another's suicide carries a maximum 14 year jail term.
European laws recognize three crimes associated with suicide.
(1)
Aiding suicide: increasing the probability of suicidal behavior, e.g., by
knowingly providing the means.
(2) Abetting suicide: providing the means
and attempting to influence the suicidant's will and therefore his/her
behavior.
(3) Driving somebody to suicide: threatening the suicidant in a manner
which can be seen as causally related to his/her ensuing suicidal
behavior.
Competing interests: No competing interests