Who was Dr Florian Willet? Euthanasia activist dies by assisted suicide after traumatic arrest
Dr. Florian Willet, a right-to-die campaigner who was held for using a 'suicide pod' for the first time, has died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, as per the device's inventor, the UK Independent reported.
Dr. Florian Willet, 47, was arrested in 2024 on suspicion of 'inciting and abetting suicide' and 'strong suspicion of the commission of an intentional homicide' in relation to the demise of a 64-year-old woman.
In December, Willet was released from detention two months after authorities ruled out the possibility of a deliberate homicide.
Dr. Philip Nitschke, the head of Exit International and the man behind the Sarco pod, claimed that Dr. Willet suffered from severe psychological issues.
Dr. Nitschke informed the Dutch news agency Volkskrant that Dr. Willet committed suicide last month. Dr. Nitschke further stated that Florian was a different person when he was abruptly and surprisingly freed from pre-trial prison in early December 2024.
'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation.'
Also Read: What is The Detroit Cowboy? Trump promotes Kid Rock's new 'MAGA' restaurant in Nashville after ICE raid
The activist's companion Laura told the Dutch media that he had transformed after the arrest. According to her, 'This friendly, positive man had changed into an anxious, suspicious person who no longer trusted even his best friends.' Stressing that Willet lived in his own universe, Laura said that he grew more estranged from his friends.
Dr. Willet, the leader of the euthanasia advocacy group The Last Resort, was freed by Schaffhausen authorities in the northern part of the district following the alleged first use of the Sarco suicide capsule, a sealed container that emits gas at the touch of a button.
While the officials no longer suspected deliberate homicide, the Swiss prosecutors said they still had a 'strong suspicion of the crime of inciting and abetting suicide.'
Dr. Nitschke described the claims that the woman may have been choked as 'absurd,' adding that he saw the woman's death on camera in a wood in the Schaffhausen area close to the German border.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Trump has reasons to ambush Germany's Merz at Oval Office. Will he?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday, hoping to avoid one of the US president's infamous ambushes amid discord over Ukraine and tariffs read more German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (L) and US President Donald Trump are pictured here against the backdrop of the Nato flag. File Photo- Agencies German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday, hoping to avoid one of the US president's infamous ambushes amid discord over Ukraine and tariffs. Trump's well-known disdain for 'bad, very bad' Germans puts Friedrich Merz in a politically sensitive spotlight. According to a Politico report, Merz is expected to face tough questions on camera over his February election night remarks, where he called for Europe to 'achieve independence from the USA' and described the Trump administration as 'largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Merz will also have to carefully navigate a range of fraught issues, including German car exports, Berlin's commitment to Nato and support for Ukraine, and — perhaps most delicately — the Trump administration's perceived alignment with the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the country's second-largest political party. However, Merz may not need to lose sleep just yet. Early signs suggest he and Trump, both wealthy businessmen and avid golfers, could get along well. The new chancellor, a committed transatlanticist, has pledged a sharp shift in German policy, with major increases in defence spending and tougher migration controls—key Trump priorities, reported Politico. The visit also aligns with EU efforts to broker a peace deal on car exports, aiming to ease tensions in the brewing US-EU trade dispute. Adding to the positive tone, Trump has invited Merz to stay at Blair House, the official White House guest residence, a gesture seen by German officials as reassuring. According to Politico, a White House official, speaking anonymously, downplayed any drama, calling it 'just another foreign leader visit.' Merz, meanwhile, has sought to build rapport, even inviting Trump to visit his ancestral village in Germany, the birthplace of Trump's grandfather, Friedrich Trump. The German chancellor seems to think the calls between him and Trump went well. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'My first conversation with him was personally good, there are a few people we know in common … and I congratulated him on the American pope … and then we talked a bit about Chicago, and because the pope comes from there. I have often been there professionally,' Merz was quoted as saying recently. Impersonating Trump, he added, ''Oh, where do you know Chicago from? This is a great city! Chicago is a really great city.' That was kind of the tone of the conversation.' But the German delegation knows how quickly things can go off-script — like Trump's false 'genocide' claims made during South African President Cyril Ramaphosa May visit, or earlier attacks by Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. Vance's February speech at the Munich Security Conference, just before Merz's election win, hinted at the risks. In his speech, Vance attacked mainstream European leaders for 'running in fear' of their own voters, singling out Germany's 'firewall' around the rising AfD to keep centrist politicians from forming coalitions with the ostracised party. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Secretary of State Marco Rubio added fuel, accusing Germany's intelligence service of 'tyranny in disguise' for labeling AfD extremist. Vance's remarks clearly rattled Merz, who responded on election night by questioning whether Naro could survive in its current form, citing concerns over the US role. Just days earlier, he had called for talks to place Germany under the British and French nuclear umbrella. Despite the rocky start, Berlin-Washington ties have since improved significantly. To win over Trump, who once branded Germany 'delinquent' on defence and threatened to withdraw 12,000 US troops, Merz's government has pledged to build Europe's 'strongest conventional army.' It has also signaled a once-unthinkable shift: a gradual move toward spending 5% of GDP on defence, up from just over 2% today. Merz has quietly dropped talk of European 'independence.' During a May visit to Nato HQ, he said the Trump administration's view of Europe had 'obviously changed' and expressed new optimism about Nato's future. The US, he added, remains 'indispensable for Europe's security.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washington appears to be responding. At a recent Singapore conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Germany as a model—joking, 'it's hard to believe … I'm saying this.' On the AfD front, Merz can also take some comfort: Elon Musk, the party's loudest high-profile supporter, is no longer in government. Meanwhile, ahead of the meeting, Merz told reporters in Washington that if Trump brings up German domestic politics 'I will state my opinion very clearly if necessary.' Despite the tensions, Merz said he was 'looking forward' to his first face-to-face meeting with Trump. 'Our alliance with America was, is, and remains of paramount importance for the security, freedom, and prosperity of Europe,' he posted on X. The German chancellor is believed to have studied videos of previous Oval Office ambushes and learned how to stay calm and let Trump talk. With inputs from agencies
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Delhi government grants Rs 417 crore to Delhi University, unveils education schemes
The new Delhi government has released a grant-in-aid of Rs 417 crore to 12 fully state-funded Delhi University colleges. This funding aims to address financial challenges faced by these institutions, ensuring timely salaries and operational support. The colleges benefiting from this grant include Acharya Narendra Dev College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Bhagini Nivedita College, Bhaskaracharya College, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Kesh and Shaheed a press conference, Education Minister Ashish Sood said, 'The previous government did not release grants to DU where students from middle-class family study. But we released the money on April 1.' INTRODUCTION OF AI-BASED LEARNING AND SMART CLASSROOMS As part of its educational reforms, the Delhi government plans to establish 75 CM Shri Schools, and data science courses. A special budget of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for initiative. These state-of-the-art schools aim to provide advanced features like AR/VR, and data science, ensuring students receive quality education comparable to private institutions. Additionally, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Language Labs will be set up in 100 to teach foreign languages such as English, French, and German. Furthermore, 250 government schools will be equipped with digital libraries to enhance learning resources. SUPPORT FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTSadvertisementMoreover, over 1,300 university students have received scholarships under a special programme organised by the Delhi government in a move to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This initiative, led by the Directorate of Higher Education, aims to assist meritorious students in pursuing higher education without financial constraints. Sood emphasised the importance of investing in students, stating that supporting their growth is a national the CM Digital Education Scheme, 1,200 students have been provided with laptops to facilitate digital learning. The government has also initiated free coaching for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and CUET to ensure equal opportunities for all students.(With PTI inputs)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Denmark's biggest cities say goodbye to Microsoft, citing concerns over Donald Trump's policies
Why are Danish cities moving away from Microsoft under Trump's presidency? How much were Copenhagen and Aarhus spending on Microsoft? Live Events Are European tech alternatives actually working out? Is Microsoft still deeply integrated in municipal systems? What does this move say about Europe's digital independence? FAQs: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark's two largest cities, are officially cutting ties with Microsoft as their primary IT provider. The decision, announced in late May 2025, stems from a mix of political and financial concerns. Officials pointed to growing unease about relying on a U.S.-based tech giant while Donald Trump is in office, especially as global tensions rise. On top of that, the cities have seen a sharp increase in software costs. The move marks a significant shift in how European municipalities are rethinking digital sovereignty and long-term IT officials made it clear that the current geopolitical environment under President Donald Trump played a role in their decision. According to Henrik Appel Espersen, head of the city's audit committee, the risk of international relations breaking down could put local IT systems at risk. 'If we suddenly can't send emails or communicate internally because of a political fallout, that's a huge problem,' he told leaders fear that, under pressure, a company like Microsoft could be forced by the U.S. government to restrict access to its services abroad. This fear of disruption in public operations is now shaping procurement decisions across the rising cost of Microsoft services has raised eyebrows in both cities. According to Danish tech site Version2, total municipal spending on Microsoft software jumped from 313 million kroner in 2018 to 538 million kroner in 2023. That's a massive 72% increase in just five Aarhus, where the switch has already started, the savings are very real. Bo Fristed, who leads the digital services department in the city's culture and citizens' division, said moving to a German cloud provider slashed their IT budget—from 800,000 kroner to 225,000 kroner has already replaced Microsoft with a German-based cloud provider, though the transition hasn't been perfect. Fristed admitted that most of his department's staff see the new system as a downgrade in terms of user experience. Still, the significant savings made the switch Copenhagen, a similar shift is being planned. While no official vendor has been named yet, a European alternative to Microsoft is likely to take over in the coming Despite these changes, Microsoft is still embedded in many public systems. From Office programs to cloud storage and communication tools, the company's products have long been the backbone of local IT infrastructure. That's why this decision is both bold and challenging—it's not just a software swap, it's a full system recently, officials believed there were no real alternatives. That's starting to change as European cities push for more control over their digital tools and isn't just a local issue—it's part of a larger European movement toward digital sovereignty. The decision by Denmark's two largest cities sends a message: relying too heavily on U.S. tech companies may no longer be safe or Trump's administration takes a tougher stance on global tech policy, European cities and governments are re-evaluating their IT partnerships. What's happening in Copenhagen and Aarhus might be just the to rising costs and political risks under Trump's U.S. tech switched to a German cloud provider to reduce spending and risk.
