The founder of the Swiss right-to-die organisation Dignitas has died by assisted suicide, the group says.
Ludwig Minelli, 92, died on Saturday, days before his 93rd birthday. The group paid tribute to Minelli, stating he led a 'life for freedom of choice, self-determination, and human rights.'
Dignitas, founded in 1998 by Minelli, has assisted thousands of individuals seeking to end their lives on their own terms. With changing international perspectives on assisted dying, nations like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have enacted supportive legislation. Currently, the UK is debating an assisted dying bill in the House of Lords.
Critics of legalization caution that vulnerable individuals might feel coerced into ending their lives. Many Dignitas clients travel from countries where assisted dying remains outlawed. Minelli once stated, 'I am persuaded that we have to struggle to implement the last human right in our societies: the right to make a decision on one's own end, without risk and without pain.'
While euthanasia remains illegal in Switzerland, assisted dying, where an individual administers lethal drugs personally, has been legal for decades. Dignitas announced it will continue Minelli's legacy, advocating for self-determination and freedom of choice in life and at the end of life.
Ludwig Minelli, 92, died on Saturday, days before his 93rd birthday. The group paid tribute to Minelli, stating he led a 'life for freedom of choice, self-determination, and human rights.'
Dignitas, founded in 1998 by Minelli, has assisted thousands of individuals seeking to end their lives on their own terms. With changing international perspectives on assisted dying, nations like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have enacted supportive legislation. Currently, the UK is debating an assisted dying bill in the House of Lords.
Critics of legalization caution that vulnerable individuals might feel coerced into ending their lives. Many Dignitas clients travel from countries where assisted dying remains outlawed. Minelli once stated, 'I am persuaded that we have to struggle to implement the last human right in our societies: the right to make a decision on one's own end, without risk and without pain.'
While euthanasia remains illegal in Switzerland, assisted dying, where an individual administers lethal drugs personally, has been legal for decades. Dignitas announced it will continue Minelli's legacy, advocating for self-determination and freedom of choice in life and at the end of life.
