Karlsruhe, February 26, 2020: The Humanist Association of Germany (HVD) sees its long-standing commitment to autonomy at the end of life fully confirmed by today’s ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. The paternalism of legislators, the German Medical Association and ideological positions that are bound to the other side is thus rejected.
“For decades, we have been pursuing the goal that the right to self-determination regarding one’s own death must be respected and guaranteed,” explains CEO Erwin Kress, who was present at the pronouncement of the verdict in Karlsruhe. “There must be competent and organized help for people who have made a serious and lasting decision to end their lives due to serious illness or old age. Of course, there must be clear rules and a catalog of due diligence criteria for assisted suicide.”
The Karlsruhe ruling means that doctors, euthanasia organizations and all those who wish to provide humane assisted suicide free of punishment must take into account the informed consent, free will and decision-making capacity of those willing to die.
There will be an increasing social demand to be able to self-determine and plan the end of one’s own life, among many other things. “The Humanist Association of Germany is trying to adapt to the fact that there will be an increasing need for advice, help and humanist pastoral care in the context of assisted and accompanied dying by suicide,” explains Gita Neumann, HVD representative for the topic of humane dying.
Of course, suicidal people must be protected from lonely and brutal suicide attempts, as well as from ill-considered and rash suicide attempts that arise from a depressive mood or a lack of knowledge about life-enhancing alternatives. The Humanist Association of Germany therefore proposes that contact points be established where those seeking help can obtain advice openly and voluntarily.
The HVD has already worked with experts in medical law to develop solutions to replace the current Section 217 of the German Criminal Code, which has now been declared unconstitutional. A draft law for the regulation of assisted suicide has been drawn up with renowned personalities from the fields of medicine, law and ethics. This contains requirements, above all for the examination of the free will and decision-making capacity of those willing to commit suicide, as well as proposals for legal regulations on suicide conflict counseling and prevention.
The HVD’s general goals for the reorganization of assisted suicide in Germany are
- Respect and guarantee the right to self-determination regarding one’s own death.
- Determine requirements and rules for assisted suicide.
- Protect those affected from lonely and brutal suicides.
- Prevent ill-considered, spontaneous and rash suicide attempts.
- Eliminate legal uncertainties for all those who provide humane assisted suicide.
- Clarify for doctors that and how they may provide assisted suicide and formulate appropriate due diligence criteria.
- Counteract societal demands that seek to authorize physician-assisted suicide on demand.
The Humanist Association of Germany will present its draft bill to the public in the near future.
