Ludwig Minelli, the esteemed founder of the Swiss right-to-die organization Dignitas, has died by assisted suicide at the age of 92, just days before his 93rd birthday. Dignitas announced his death on a Saturday, paying tribute to a man who dedicated his life to advocating for freedom of choice, self-determination, and fundamental human rights.

Minelli established Dignitas in 1998, and since its inception, the organization has provided assistance to thousands of individuals seeking to end their lives. His work began after a divergence from the older Swiss assisted dying organization, Exit, whose rules Minelli considered overly restrictive. Dignitas gained international prominence for offering assisted suicide services to non-Swiss citizens who traveled to Switzerland, as assisted dying was not permitted in their home countries.

The debate around assisted dying has evolved in recent decades, with countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand introducing legislative frameworks. The UK House of Lords is also actively debating an assisted dying bill. However, critics of legalizing assisted dying raise concerns about the potential for vulnerable or disabled individuals to be coerced into ending their lives.

Minelli's career began in journalism, where he served as a correspondent for the German news magazine Der Spiegel, before pursuing law and developing a keen interest in human rights. Throughout his life, he was a passionate campaigner for the right to die, encapsulating his philosophy in Dignitas's slogan: "dignity in life, dignity in death." In a 2010 interview with the BBC, Minelli articulated his conviction: "I am persuaded that we have to struggle in order to implement the last human right in our societies. And the last human right is the right to make a decision on one's own end, and the possibility to have this end without risk and without pain."

Despite his advocacy, Minelli and Dignitas faced scrutiny. Within Switzerland, the organization was sometimes criticized for an alleged lack of transparency regarding its financial dealings and for reportedly offering assisted dying to individuals who were not terminally ill but wished to end their lives. Minelli navigated numerous legal challenges, successfully appealing multiple times to the Swiss supreme court.

Dignitas, in its statement, highlighted Minelli's lasting influence, pointing to a landmark 2011 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. This ruling affirmed the right of a person capable of judgment to decide on the manner and timing of their own end of life. While euthanasia – the administration of a lethal drug by a physician to end a life to relieve suffering – remains illegal in Switzerland, assisted dying has been permissible under Swiss law since 1942. This is subject to strict conditions, including the absence of a profit motive and the individual wishing to die being of sound mind.

The organization has affirmed its commitment to continuing Minelli's legacy, stating it will "manage and develop the association in the spirit of its founder as a professional and combative international organisation for self-determination and freedom of choice in life and at the end of life."