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Voters in Zurich overwhemingly rejected on Sunday proposed bans on assisted suicide and "suicide tourism" -- foreigners traveling to Switzerland to receive help ending their lives. |
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Voters in Zurich overwhemingly rejected on Sunday proposed bans on assisted suicide and "suicide tourism" -- foreigners traveling to Switzerland to receive help ending their lives. Only 15.5 percent of voters in the local referendum backed a ban on assisted suicide, while nearly 22 percent supported a ban on suicide tourism, final results showed. About 200 people commit assisted suicide each year in Zurich. Assisted suicide has been allowed in Switzerland since 1941 if performed by a non-physician who has no vested interest in the death. Euthanasia, or "mercy killing," is legal only in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the US state of Oregon. Many terminally ill foreigners -- particularly from Germany, France and Britain -- travel to Switzerland to commit suicide, taking advantage of the Swiss rules which are among the world's most liberal. But a rise in the number of foreigners seeking to end their lives in Switzerland, and a study showing that more and more people seeking assisted suicides in the country do not suffer from a terminal illness, have provoked heated debate. The Swiss Evangelical People's Party, which had supported the bans, said it regretted the outcome but was pleased it had prompted so much discussion. "We now need to make sure that assisted suicide isn't just extended without limit and also that suicide tourism with foreigners is critically monitored," it said in a statement. The Swiss government has said it is looking to change the law on assisted suicide to make sure it was used only as a last resort by the terminally ill, and to limit "suicide tourism." Right-to-die group Exit has agreed rules to govern assisted suicide with prosecutors in Zurich in the hope they might eventually form the basis of national regulation. Foreigners are not explicitly excluded under the new rules, but a Swiss doctor who prescribes the deadly anesthetic must have met the person twice over a period of time to be sure of their wishes. (Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies)
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上周日，苏黎世选民以压倒性多数投票否决了禁止协助自杀和“自杀旅游”的议案。不少外国游客前往瑞士“自杀旅游”，寻求帮助结束生命。 此次地方投票结果显示，仅有15.5%的选民支持协助自杀禁令，近22%的选民支持终止自杀旅游。每年大约有200人在苏黎世选择协助自杀。 自1941年以来，协助自杀在瑞士就已合法化，但协助者不能是医生，而且不能从病人的死亡中获利。“安乐死”目前仅在荷兰、卢森堡、比利时、以及美国俄勒冈州合法。 很多晚期患者利用瑞士的这一法规前来协助自杀，尤以来自德国、法国、英国的游客居多。瑞士拥有全球最自由的法规。 但前往瑞士协助自杀的外国人越来越多，而且有调查表明，希望在瑞士协助自杀的人中，并未患有晚期疾病的人数也在增多，这引起了热议。 支持此项禁令的瑞士人民福音党对投票结果表示遗憾，但很高兴看到这激起了热烈讨论。 该党在声明中称：“我们需要确保协助自杀没有无限制增多，以及外国人自杀旅游受到严格监管。” 瑞士政府称，正寻求修改协助自杀的法律，以确保协助自杀仅在疾病晚期时不得以而为之，另外还要限制“自杀旅游”。 协助自杀组织“解脱”已同意了由苏黎世检察官管控协助自杀行为的条例，并希望他们最终可以出台全国条例。 按照新法规，外国人不会被直接排除在外。但提供致命麻醉剂的瑞士医生必须在规定的时间段内探望要求自杀者两次，以确定其自杀愿望。 相关阅读 （中国日报网英语点津 Julie 编辑：冯明惠） |
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Vocabulary: vested interest: 既得利益 euthanasia: the act of killing someone painlessly, esp to relieve suffering from an incurable illness（安乐死） anesthetic: a substance that produces anesthesia, as halothane, procaine, or ether（麻醉药，麻醉剂） |
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