Assisted dying: Two arrested over death of campaigner

[Jojogu]

Two women have been arrested on suspicion of assisting or encouraging suicide, following the death of a 60-year-old woman from Cardigan.

Dyfed-Powys Police has confirmed the woman who died is Sharon Johnston, a severely disabled woman who was a prominent advocate of assisted dying.

Ms Johnston had been reported missing from her home.

BBC Wales understands she had travelled to Switzerland, with the intention of asking doctors to help end her life.

Police said a 29-year-old woman from the London area and a 69-year-old woman from Cardiff were arrested after returning to Heathrow Airport and have been released pending further investigation.

Speaking to the BBC's Wales Investigates programme last October, Ms Johnston said she intended to travel to Switzerland to end her life.

"I go out in the town and I can get about. It's not that like I'm trapped in bed or bedridden. But I don't want the care," she said.

"Physically I can't do a suicide, I can't take an overdose of medication because it's all done with the carers in a secure medical box. I don't want to do a botched suicide," she said.

Swiss law enables doctors to assist certain patients to die, although the process remains illegal in the UK.

Ms Johnston was told that she would never be able to walk again, following a fall more than three years ago.

Assisted dying: Two arrested over death of campaigner

Sharon Johnston previously told of her intention to travel to Switzerland to end her life.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[FuneralCry]

I wish we lived in a world where our right to die is respected. Suicide is a human right and we should all be able to exit peacefully at a time of our own choosing. It is our life and our decision. No one should have to resort to risky and traumatic methods to end their pain. It is cruel how the society tries to force people to live, it is a personal decision when to leave this world.

 

[StarryStarry]

It was obvious the poor woman wanted to die. If I am reading the article incorrectly, please correct me. It says the lady went to Switzerland (I think it was Switzerland) so what did the other two women do wrong? Accompany her on the plane. It really pisses me off when the government feels they can get involved in every aspect of someone's life. To think that suicide is against the law is ludicrous.

 

[Superdeterminist]

Fucking idiots.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Oh, for fucks sake! The woman is severely disabled and 69 years old. Let her die peacefully if that's what she wants. It's not like the two women who went with her poured the suicide juice down her throat.

 

[Crazy4u]

absolutely ridiculous. The woman doesn't have an obligation to live in pain. The two ladies should consider hiring a civil rights attorney for false arrest

 

[Rational man]

Authorities would rather see someone die in agony, without dignity, to uphold outdated laws. The police resources here would have been better spent on the daily brutal murders on our streets, robberies, drug pushers, etc.