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Ludwig Minelli, the founder of Dignitas, a Swiss organization that advocates for the right to a self-determined death and provides assisted suicide services, died Saturday, November 29, just days before his 93rd birthday. Dignitas announced that Minelli chose “voluntary assisted dying.”
The death of Minelli, a pivotal figure in the global debate surrounding end-of-life choices, comes as more countries grapple with the ethical and legal complexities of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Dignitas expressed its sorrow, stating that “the team will continue to manage and develop the association in the spirit of its founder, maintaining its commitment to self-determination and freedom of choice in life and in death.”
Born December 5, 1932, Minelli began his career as a journalist before earning a law degree. Throughout his professional life, he faced numerous legal challenges, achieving significant victories in both the Swiss Federal Tribunal and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). According to Dignitas, his work had a lasting impact on Swiss legislation, notably with a 2011 ECHR ruling that affirmed an individual’s right to decide the time and manner of their own death.
Minelli founded the non-profit organization Dignitas – Live with Dignity, Die with Dignity – on May 17, 1998, with the aim of defending self-determination at the end of life and offering a safe path for those seeking it.
While euthanasia is illegal in Switzerland, assisted suicide – where the patient self-administers a lethal drug under professional supervision – has been legal for decades.
In Portugal, despite repeated legislative attempts, a law permitting euthanasia and assisted suicide has yet to take effect. The Constitutional Tribunal identified three unconstitutionalities in the legislation approved nearly two years ago, and the necessary regulations for its implementation have not been established.
Over the past 16 years, at least 12 Portuguese citizens have turned to Dignitas to carry out assisted suicides in Switzerland. Recent data shows that 57 Portuguese individuals are currently registered as members of the association, one of four organizations in the country providing this type of assistance. Since its inception in May 1998, Dignitas has assisted 4196 people in the process of assisted dying.
