MATT STEWART <\/p>\n
Last updated13:44, April 24 2017 <\/p>\n
FAIRFAX NZ <\/p>\n
Supporters of Susan Dale Austen outside Wellington District Court in February. <\/p>\n
A crowdfunding drive has been launched as part of a global support campaign to defend Exit Wellington co-ordinator Susan Austen in the wake of a new charge of aiding asuicide. <\/p>\n
Austen, 66, is a Lower Hutt teacher, who was charged in October2016 with having twice imported the controlled euthanasia drug pentobarbitone. <\/p>\n
Austen appeared in the Wellington District Court on Friday facing thenew charge of aidingthe suicide ofAnnemarie Treadwell. <\/p>\n
FAIRFAX NZ <\/p>\n
Supporters of Susan Austen outside Wellington District Court in February. <\/p>\n
The charge of alleged aid wasfrom between December 12, 2015, and June 7, 2016. <\/p>\n
READ MORE: *Hutt woman Susan Austen faces new charge of aiding a suicide *Wellington womanAnnemarieTreadwell'sdeath trigger for Police euthanasia furore *Susan Austen appears in court facing charges relating to importation of euthanasia drugs *Police admit using checkpoint to target euthanasia meeting attendees *We know where you've been, police tell 76-year-old who attended euthanasia meeting *Police door-knock elderly women who attended euthanasia meeting <\/p>\n
Director of pro-voluntary euthanasia group Exit International Philip Nitschke said the move was prompted by the seriousness of the new charge of aiding a suicide, whichhas a maximum penalty of 14 years' jail. <\/p>\n
GLENN CAMPBELL <\/p>\n
Euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke has labelled New Zealand police's Operation Painter a \"grubby witch hunt\". <\/p>\n
With an initial target of $50,000 the campaign had raised more than$6000 for legal fees on Monday morning through a crowdfunding site. <\/p>\n
In tandem with fundraising, Nitschke said the World Federation of Right To Die Societies had been approached to help focus attention on New Zealand. <\/p>\n
The Independent Police Conduct Commission launched an investigation into complaintspolice useda vehicle checkpoint operation - part of what was codenamed Operation Painter to identify people who had been to an Exit Wellingtonmeeting in early October, 2016. <\/p>\n
Nitschke accused this investigation of being a \"grubby little anti-Exit witch-hunt.\" <\/p>\n
Nitschke said the seriousness of the new charge made the drug importing charges seem trivial by comparison. <\/p>\n
Austen's case was likely to gain international traction as it was a stark example of the endemic harassment of pro-euthanasia supporters by the authorities,Nitschke said. <\/p>\n
Pleas are expectedto be entered to all three charges at Austen's next court appearance on May 12. <\/p>\n
-Stuff <\/p>\n
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Read more:<\/p>\n
Wellington euthanasia lobbyist, accused of aiding suicide, seeks ... - The Dominion Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MATT STEWART Last updated13:44, April 24 2017 FAIRFAX NZ Supporters of Susan Dale Austen outside Wellington District Court in February. A crowdfunding drive has been launched as part of a global support campaign to defend Exit Wellington co-ordinator Susan Austen in the wake of a new charge of aiding asuicide. Austen, 66, is a Lower Hutt teacher, who was charged in October2016 with having twice imported the controlled euthanasia drug pentobarbitone. Continue reading