The Public Prosecution Service today demanded a community service sentence of 180 hours and a conditional prison sentence of one year, with a two-year probation period, against a 74-year-old man from Barendrecht. He is suspected of providing the lethal substance X to three individuals who subsequently committed suicide by ingesting this substance.
Purchase book
The suspect writes to his customers that he knows what he is doing is illegal. To avoid detection, he therefore asks to label the purchase of the lethal substance in the bank transfer as the purchase of a book. He also writes in capital letters that after receiving the order, all mutual communication must be deleted. “The suspect deliberately violated the law. He concealed his actions by being very safety-conscious and trying to erase his traces as much as possible,” said the public prosecutor.
Assisting in Suicide is Punishable
The prosecutor today extensively addressed the societal debate surrounding the right to a self-chosen death. “It is a theme that resonates strongly within society. There is a movement in our society that believes that providing a lethal substance is justified, as everyone should be able to determine their own fate. They see this as an absolute right. A reasoning that does not hold legally. The short explanation is that assisting in suicide is punishable under the law. A societal discussion about this is valuable, but should not be conducted in the courtroom. This case is about enforcing the current law.”
In principle, an unconditional prison sentence is demanded for the acts attributed to this suspect. However, the prosecutor takes into account the vulnerable personality of the Barendrechter, his age, and the fact that he has a clean criminal record in this specific case.
Help
Are you thinking about suicide or do you have the substance X at home? Are you worried about someone in your close circle? Talk about it. Openly, anonymously, and confidentially. 113 Suicide Prevention (www.113.nl) is available 24/7 for people with suicidal thoughts and their loved ones.