Scottish Catholic Observer

A spokesman for the Catholic Church has called on the police to investigate an event in Edinburgh where people will told the best ways to kill themselves.

Dr Philip Nitschke, nick-named Australia’s Dr Death, has hired St Mark’s Unitarian Church, for what has been branded a practical euthanasia workshop on November 19.

He has said his scheme is to tell people about his ‘newly-developed, reliable, DIY end of life strategies’ to help them kill themselves.

Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said the police should investigate whether the workshop was breaking the law.

“I would suggest the police may have a locus to investigate,” he said. “They should satisfy themselves whether what is proposed comes within the terms of the law.”

The Catholic Church’s parliamentary officer, John Dieghan, said the event was dangerous and should be stopped.

“This man is clearly a danger to many people and authorities should be taking action to ensure that his lethal message is given no platform in our country,” he said.

Dr Nitschke has said the event would include information on mail-order options for the deadliest euthanasia drugs from China and Mexico.

When Dr Nitschke visited England in 2008, police said anyone who ‘aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another’ to commit suicide could face prosecution under the 1961 Suicide Act. The Act does not apply in Scotland.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said ‘we will investigate any allegation of criminality reported to us.’