The World Federation of Right to Die Societies notes the recent arrest of its President Sean Davison on the charge of the murder of 43-year-old doctor Anrich Burger‚ who was left a quadriplegic after an accident in 2005. Anrich Burger’s death occurred in 2013.
The facts of this matter will be determined by the courts in South Africa, nevertheless the World Federation of Right to Die Societies wishes it to be known that it commends those who support others who wish to have a peaceful death of their choosing. Its members are striving across the globe to make it possible for this to happen through regulation by the law.
The WFRtDS strongly condemns governments that continue to deny human beings ownership of their own bodies and control over their deaths by maintaining law that criminalizes those who assist others to die peacefully.
The World Federation believes that governments across the world are assuming control of what is not their right to control, our bodies, and denying human beings the right to a peaceful death free of suffering at a time of their choice.
The WFRtDS wishes to express its admiration for Professor Davison’s courage and sincere engagement with those who are suffering at the end of life despite the ongoing persecution he has experienced by governments who maintain outdated, cruel law that forces its citizens to die of disease and to hang, gas or shoot themselves if they do not want that so-called ‘choice’.
The WFRtDS calls on all governments 1) to repeal the law that criminalizes those who assist people who wish to die peacefully and 2) to provide proper regulation of death within their health systems based on universally accepted human rights law.
robjonquiere@worldrtd.net