Dignitas founder ends own life by assisted dying
The founder of Dignitas, a Swiss non-profit organisation providing physician-assisted dying to members with terminal illness or severe physical or mental illness, has now died after ending his own life by assisted dying.
According to the organisation, Ludwig Minelli died aged 92, just days before his 93rd birthday, over the weekend on Saturday (29 November).
In an official statement released on Sunday (30 November), Dignitas wrote: "Ludwig A. Minelli, founder of 'Dignitas – To live with dignity – To die with dignity', has died.
"The membership association [...] mourns the death of its founder and Secretary General Ludwig A. Minelli. Minelli died on 29 November 2025 shortly before his 93rd birthday self-determinedly by voluntary assisted dying."
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The statement continued: "With the continuous growth of the association since its foundation in 1998, Minelli had already expanded the association’s board by several persons some years ago, planned succession for a seamless transition, and ensured the association’s operational continuity.
"The DIGNITAS team will continue to 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."
Minelli started out in journalism before pursuing legal studies and developing a focus on human rights issues.
Throughout his life, he advocated vigorously for the right to die, creating Dignitas' motto: "Dignity in life, dignity in death."
He established Dignitas in 1998 after breaking away from Exit, Switzerland's older assisted dying organisation, which he believed imposed overly strict limitations.
The organisation gained international prominence by providing assisted dying services to foreign nationals who travelled to Switzerland from countries where such practices were prohibited.
Domestically, Minelli sometimes drew criticism for what some viewed as insufficient transparency regarding the organisation's finances, and for assisting people who weren't terminally ill but wanted to end their lives.
He encountered numerous legal battles and won several appeals before Switzerland's supreme court.
In its obituary for Minelli, Dignitas highlighted a 2011 European Court of Human Rights decision that affirmed the right of mentally competent individuals to choose how and when to end their lives.
In Switzerland, euthanasia - where a doctor administers a lethal medication to intentionally end someone's life and relieve suffering - remains illegal.
However, assisted dying has been lawful in Switzerland since 1942 under stringent requirements, including that no financial gain is involved and that the person must be mentally competent.
For advice, support, and more information, you can contact the nurse-led specialist team at Compassion in Dying via their helpline 0800 999 2434. You can also email them at [email protected].
Additionally, if you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
Topics: News, World News, Health
Rhiannon Ingle