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SAFRICA-POLICE-EUTHANASIA
S.Africa euthanasia activist charged with murder
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 19, 2018 (AFP) – A campaigner for the legalisation of
euthanasia in South Africa has been charged with murder relating to the death
of a man in 2013, police said on Wednesday.
Sean Davison, who founded right-to-die organisation Dignity SA, is accused
of assisting in the suicide of his friend Anrich Burger who was left
quadriplegic after a car crash, local media reported.
“A 57-year-old man was arrested on a charge of murder (Tuesday) relating
to an incident in Sea Point on November 2, 2013 which led to the death of a
43-year-old man,” said police spokesman Andre Traut in a statement.
Davison appeared in court, was charged with premeditated murder and
released on bail of 20,000 rand ($1,366, 1,169 euros), the News24 site
reported.
Prosecutors told the court that “new information has come to light… the
accused might have committed other similar offences”, the site added.
In December 2016, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a
ruling that granted a man the right to medically-assisted death and could
have opened the way to legalise euthanasia.
The government appealed against the initial judgement, saying it could lead
to assisted-suicide legislation that would be open to abuse.
Medically-assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia is illegal in South
Africa, but in recent years there have been growing calls for it to be
legalised.
South African retired Anglican archbishop and anti-apartheid icon Desmond
Tutu, 86, has previously said he would like to be allowed the option of a
dignified assisted death.
BSS/AFP/RY/1831 hrs