Campaigners against proposals to legalise assisted suicide are seeking an urgent meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur is leading the campaign for the legalisation of assisted suicide in Scotland with his proposed Member's Bill that would make it permissable for adults who are mentally competent and suffering from a terminal illness.
Campaign groups the Care Not Killing coalition and Our Duty Of Care are opposed to a change in the law, arguing that it would put vulnerable people at risk of abuse and leave some people feeling pressured into ending their lives prematurely.
They have written to Sturgeon to ask for a meeting after she expressed an openness to hearing different views on the matter before casting her vote on the Bill when it comes before the Scottish Parliament.
Sturgeon voted against two previous attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland in 2010 and 2015 but said earlier this year that she is yet "to come to a concluded view" this time round.
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Recorder in May, she admitted that the issue was a "struggle" for her because she was "very moved" by the stories of people suffering with terminal illness, but questioned how society could "ever put sufficient safeguards into a system where you can be certain that people - elderly people in particular - didn't almost feel a sort of pressure in some circumstances, or where it could be abused".
CNK and Our Duty of Care have asked for a meeting in a bid to secure her continued opposition.
CNK chief executive Dr Gordon Macdonald welcomed her "willingness to listen to those of us who have concerns" and said it would be "tragic" if the Scottish government's ongoing work to reduce suicide rates in Scotland were undermined by the legalisation of assisted suicide.
"CNK is the leading campaigning organisation seeking to oppose any legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia in Scotland and the rest of the UK. We are concerned that any change in the law will lead to vulnerable people being placed at risk of abuse and pressure to end their lives prematurely," he said.
"It was concerns over the risks posed to vulnerable people that promoted MSPs to reject the last two Bills. After having considered the Bills very carefully, MSPs concluded that they could not guarantee legislation in this area would not be abused and place vulnerable people at risk."
He added, "We would welcome the opportunity for representatives of our campaign to meet with you at a time if your convenience to discuss this matter further, and look forward very much to hearing from you."
