For the first time in Switzerland, a prisoner has ended his life with the help of an assisted suicide organisation, according to a media report.

The man, whose name was not revealed, died on February 28 with the help of the Exit organisation, according to the report in Thursday's edition of the WochenZeitung weekly.

The assisted suicide was said to have taken place in the northern Bostadel prison near Zurich.

Under the directives of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, suicide assistance is reserved to those suffering serious illness of loss of physical capacity causing "unbearable suffering."

It was the first time a prisoner was allowed an assisted suicide in Switzerland.

"Due to data and identity protection, we cannot give any information on assisted or accompanied suicides," Exit told AFP.

The Zurich region's justice and home affairs directorate confirmed to Swiss news agency ATS that an assisted suicide had taken place, but gave no information on the prisoner involved.

The procedure usually takes place at the person's home, at the home of a relative or in a nursing home or hospital.