Assisted Suicide Pioneer Makes His Choice

Ludwig Minelli, founder of the Swiss assisted suicide group Dignitas, has died by assisted suicide just days shy of his 93rd birthday, according to the organization. The right-to-die advocate died at one of his own facilities on Saturday, People reports. A former journalist and lawyer, he established Dignitas in 1998 after splitting from another Swiss right-to-die group, Exit, which he felt was overly restrictive, the BBC reports. Under his leadership, Dignitas became internationally known for offering assisted suicide not only to Swiss residents but also to foreigners, attracting people from countries where assisted dying remains illegal.

The group says Minelli led a "life for freedom of choice," and ultimately made the choice to end that life in line with the motto, "dignity in life, dignity in death." In a 2010 interview, Minelli described the right to choose one's own death as "the last human right." He faced repeated legal scrutiny in Switzerland, including criticism for Dignitas' financial transparency and for assisting people who were not terminally ill. However, he successfully defended the organization's practices in court multiple times.

Dignitas and Minelli's advocacy contributed to ongoing international debates over assisted dying, as countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand legalized the practice. The UK House of Lords is currently debating the issue, with opponents concerned about the potential for abuse among vulnerable populations. Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942 within strict guidelines, though euthanasia—involving a medical profession administering a lethal substance—remains illegal. Dignitas says it will continue to promote self-determination at the end of life in line with Minelli's vision.