Jean-Luc Godard, emblematic filmmaker of the New Wave, died on Tuesday September 13. At 91, the Franco-Swiss filmmaker resorted to assisted suicide to end his life, as his family’s adviser told Agence France-Presse, confirming information published by the daily Release.
“Mr. Godard had recourse to legal assistance in Switzerland for voluntary departure following “multiple disabling pathologies” according to the terms of the medical report”explained Patrick Jeanneret, confirming information published by the newspaper Release.
A legal practice in Switzerland
In Switzerland, there are different forms of assisted death, such as passive euthanasia and assisted suicide. The latter, not specifically regulated but authorized under certain conditions, is the best known practice.
In principle, whoever “driven by a selfish motive”, assists in the suicide of someone – for example by providing him with a deadly substance – is punishable by a custodial sentence of up to five years or a monetary penalty. However, organizations provide assisted suicide within the law as long as“no selfish motive” cannot be blamed on them.
The practice is thus framed by codes of medical ethics and supported by organizations. The most important of them, Exit, accompanied nearly 1,400 people towards death in 2021.
Assisted suicides have increased annually in recent years in Switzerland, rising from 187 cases per year in 2003 to 965 in 2015, according to the Federal Statistical Office. After a slight decrease in 2016, they have since started to rise again.