December 3, 2025|
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|1 day agoDignitas Founder Ludwig Minelli Dies by Assisted Suicide
Ludwig Minelli, the founder of the well-known Swiss assisted-dying organization Dignitas, has died by assisted suicide at the age of 92. This article will cover his life, the founding of Dignitas, and the ongoing debate around assisted dying in Switzerland.
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- Ludwig Minelli, founder of the assisted-dying organization Dignitas, ended his own life via assisted suicide at the age of 92.
- Minelli, a human-rights lawyer, founded Dignitas in 1998 to defend personal autonomy at the end of life.
- Minelli's legal challenges led to a landmark 2011 European Court of Human Rights ruling that affirmed the right of a mentally competent individual to decide the manner and time of their death.
- Dignitas is known for offering its services to non-Swiss citizens, a practice that has led to the term 'suicide tourism'.
- In Switzerland, assisted dying, where the individual self-administers the lethal substance, is legal, while euthanasia (administration by a third party) is not.
By The Numbers
Over 10,000
Number of Dignitas Members