Cape Town - The sentence handed down to Sean Davison, the UWC professor who has been a tireless campaigner for people who want to make their own decisions about dying, has ignited fierce debate on social media.
Davison was sentenced to 8 years house arrest, five of which was suspended. The sentence was the result of a plea agreement which saw the right-to-die activist plead guilty to three murder charges. Davison had previously insisted that he had not committed a crime by helping three people who wanted to die.
In 2006, Davison fell foul of authorities in his native New Zealand when he helped his terminally ill mother, Dr Patricia Ferguson, end her life by crushing a lethal dose of morphine tablets and mixing it with water for her to ingest. In 2011 Davison pleaded guilty to assisted suicide as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to five months' house arrest.
During Davison's 2011 trial, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu wrote to the New Zealand court asking for leniency for the academic. When the South African charges were brought, Tutu again voiced support for Davison's cause.
Dignity SA founder Davison, who is married to Rayne Pan with whom he has three children, had been expected to fight the charges against him and Thursday's plea bargain announcement came as a shock to many people who were watching the groundbreaking case with interest.
As soon as the outcome of the case was announced, South Africans began debating whether the sentence - and the crime Davison was accused of - was fair or not. Here are some of their opinions:
This is a revolting anti-humane sentence, he should be thanked and sympathised with. What he has gone through and been brave enough to go through is bigger than we could possibly imagine
Euthanasia advocate Sean Davison handed 3 years house arrested https://t.co/tFLAwnqBVE
— Brett Rogers (@BrrRogers) June 19, 2019
We have not progressed enough in SA it seems: "Euthanasia advocate Sean Davison sentenced to 3 years house arrest for murder" https://t.co/3puII5Pl1p via @News24
— Dylan Craig Boyes (@dylancraigboyes) June 19, 2019
1/2 The double-standards of the #DPP& #NPA4 charging Professor Sean Davison on 3 counts of physician assisted suicide is hypocritical at least. #Euthansia by omission is not uncommon in South African state hospitals but kept "quiet".
— Michael Volkwyn's sister (@barbara_volkwyn) June 16, 2019
Now you understand my late brother's graffiti ? Some more detailed which he was ordered to remove by the Cape High Court. Don't expect me to stand by and do nothing about Professor Sean Davison's trial . pic.twitter.com/PlQSmkwMfV
— Michael Volkwyn's sister (@barbara_volkwyn) June 16, 2019
. @UWConline Professor and Euthanasia advocate Sean Davison has been sentenced to an effective three years house arrest for murder. He helped 3 people to die at their request. Held bag over ones head 😲😲😲The liver! https://t.co/HUs4935wt6(via )
— Bulelani Mfaco (@BulelaniMfaco) June 19, 2019
BREAKING: Euthanasia advocate Sean Davison sentenced to 3 years house arrest for murder via @News24 https://t.co/e8WQfbM5iH this dr did what the law and medical fertinity did not have the balls to do! They robbing the ppl of their rite to die and on their terms wth dignity! FU
— S🇿🇦A Citizen🇿🇦 (@ronjac007) June 19, 2019
Die stigter van Dignity SA en kampvegter vir die reg om self oor selfdood te besluit, Sean Davison, gaan geen tronkstraf uitdien nie. Die Hooggeregshof in Kaapstad het Davison vanoggend tot... https://t.co/3yRkrIFvHu
— Abri van Vuuren (@Abri_van_Vuuren) June 19, 2019
IOL