The founder of the controversial right-to-die organization, DignitySA, has been arrested on a murder charge. Sean Davison was arrested on Tuesday for ‘murdering’ his dear friend, Anrich Burger, in 2013.
Burger approached Davison to help him end his life, as he became quadriplegic after being involved in a car crash.
Davison also infamously helped his mother end her life in New Zeland.
Speaking to News24, DignitySA co-founder Willem Landman, said an issued a search warrant was used this to confiscate Davison’s cellphone and laptop. He was then held overnight at the Sea Point police station and made an appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where he was granted bail with conditions.
While in court, Megan Blows, a state prosecutor, revealed that Davison may have committed other similar offences.
Davison gave his mother a lethal dose of morphine in 2006 after she was diagnosed with cancer. He also kept a diary, detailing her slow dying process, and turned this into a book titled Before We Say Goodbye.
“I held it in front of her and said: ‘If you drink this‚ you will die.’ I really wanted to be so absolutely sure that there was no hesitation. She answered‚ ‘You’re a wonderful son’ “.
This was a confession that was edited out of the book but was later leaked by the media in New Zealand. It details how Davison presented the morphine pills to his mother, which allowed her to pass away peacefully.
The World Federation of Right to Die Societies gathered in Cape Town on Saturday, 8 September, and brought together over 51 organisations together to discuss the controversial ‘Right to Die’ bill.
It should be understood that this bill does not advocate for euthanasia to be legalized in South Africa, but rather for the natural process of death to occur without any intervention from doctors.
This bill was introduced to Parliament by Congress of the People (COPE) member of Parliament, Deirdre Carter, and received over 8 000 submissions when it was put forward.
The “Right to Die” bill aims to protect all parties involved – both doctor and patient.
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