Assisted Suicide for Prisoners in Switzerland: Proposal for a Legal Model in the Swiss Correctional Context

Abstract

Do prisoners have the right to end their life with the help of an assisted suicide (AS) organization? The authors of this article conclude yes, under certain conditions. To completely ban AS in the correctional context violates the Swiss Federal Constitution. However, certain public interests may compete with the fundamental right of self-determination, and in some cases, these public interests may prevail.

Keywords

• assisted suicide
• constitutional law
• european convention on human rights
• criminal law
• execution of criminal sanctions
• penology