According to the Public Prosecution Service, 80-year-old Hans D. from Breda urged a 32-year-old woman from Bodegraven to end her life. The woman took the suicide drug ‘Medium X’ in November 2021 and died. The public prosecutor demanded a prison sentence of fourteen months, of which seven months were conditional, against the man in the court of The Hague on Friday. In the Netherlands, no one has ever been convicted of incitement to suicide.
The man and the woman met through the forum of the Cooperative Last Wil (CLW), of which they were both members. This organization wants people to have more options to end their own lives.
The woman bought the suicide drug, after which Hans D. allegedly gave her instructions. The man is also said to have encouraged her via WhatsApp to continue with the suicide. Nearly three weeks after their first contact, the woman committed suicide.
“I didn’t encourage her, but I didn’t hold her back either.”
Hans D. denies this in court. “I didn’t encourage her, but I didn’t stop her either. I support freedom of self-determination.”
And in his view, what he told her about drug X was not instruction, but general information that can easily be found online. “I don’t think I made a mistake, but I must have done some clumsy things here and there.” His lawyer asked for an acquittal.
READ ALSO: Breda resident (79) prosecuted for assisting suicide with ‘Substance X’
The Public Prosecution Service sees it differently. For example, D. texted the woman that she had almost eternal peace and that it is ‘a celebration when your eyes are permanently closed and your breathing is over’.
He also told her what to do on her last day and what to say to doctors so as not to arouse suspicion. Relatives of the victim had found out about the contact between the two. They filed a report in 2022.
“If someone had managed to take away her pain, she could have moved on, of course.”
The woman had bipolar disorder, delusions and acquired brain damage, among other things. She had tried to commit suicide before and had been admitted to clinics several times.
The suspect says that he did not notice her psychoses. According to him, she was ‘fully competent’ and did not want any more treatment.
“She was done with it. If someone had managed to take away her pain, she could have moved on, of course. Every creature has a wish to live. It does not disappear, but is sometimes dominated by another wish.”
The woman’s mother is asking for compensation of 17,500 euros. Several dozen supporters attended the case to support D.. The court will make its ruling on January 24.
Watch the explanation video we previously made about the suicide powder Agent X here:
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Talking about thoughts of suicide helps. You can call the 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation 24 hours a day on 0800 0113 or chat via and 113.nl.