Ludwig Minelli, the influential founder of Swiss right-to-die organisation Dignitas, has died by assisted suicide at 92, just days shy of his 93rd birthday. Dignitas confirmed his passing on Saturday, honouring a man whose life was devoted to freedom of choice and human dignity.

Minelli established Dignitas in 1998, and since then the organisation has assisted thousands of individuals seeking to end their lives. His work followed a split from the older Swiss assisted dying group Exit, whose rules he found overly restrictive. Dignitas became internationally recognised for offering assisted suicide to non-Swiss citizens, who travelled to Switzerland where assisted dying was legal.

The debate on assisted dying has intensified globally, with countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand introducing legislative frameworks. The UK House of Lords continues deliberations on an assisted dying bill, while critics highlight concerns over potential coercion of vulnerable or disabled individuals.

Minelli began his career in journalism, working as a correspondent for the German magazine Der Spiegel, before pursuing law and human-rights advocacy. His lifelong philosophy was encapsulated in Dignitas’s slogan: "dignity in life, dignity in death." In a 2010 BBC interview, he asserted: “The last human right is the right to make a decision on one’s own end… without risk and without pain.”

Despite his advocacy, Minelli and Dignitas faced scrutiny within Switzerland, including allegations of financial non-transparency and offering assisted dying to individuals who were not terminally ill. Minelli successfully navigated multiple legal challenges, appealing repeatedly to the Swiss supreme court.

Dignitas highlighted Minelli’s enduring impact, referencing a 2011 European Court of Human Rights ruling affirming a competent person’s right to decide the manner and timing of their death. While euthanasia remains illegal in Switzerland, assisted dying has been permissible since 1942 under strict conditions, including sound mind and the absence of profit motive.

The organisation has pledged to continue Minelli’s mission, affirming it will "manage and develop the association in the spirit of its founder," preserving a legacy of autonomy, self-determination, and freedom of choice at the end of life.