ludwig Minelli, teh founder of the assisted dying organization Dignitas, has died by assisted suicide at the age of 92, the group announced. Minelli dedicated his life to campaigning for the right to die with dignity, establishing Dignitas as a haven for individuals seeking assisted death who were unable to access it in thier home countries.
minelli’s death underscores the ongoing global debate surrounding end-of-life choices and the right to self-determination. Dignitas has assisted over 2,600 people since its founding in 1998, primarily those traveling from countries where assisted dying remains illegal. His work has had a lasting impact on the conversation surrounding death and dying, influencing legal rulings and challenging societal norms.
Originally a journalist for German news magazine Der Spiegel, Minelli later studied law and developed a focus on human rights. He founded Dignitas with the slogan “dignity in life,dignity in death,” and afterward faced numerous legal challenges,successfully appealing to the Swiss supreme court on multiple occasions.
In a 2010 interview with the BBC, Minelli stated, “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.”
While euthanasia – the governance of a lethal drug by a physician – is illegal in Switzerland, assisted dying, where individuals self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a doctor, has been legal for decades.Dignitas confirmed it will continue its work “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.”
A 2011 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights affirmed the right of individuals with sound judgment to determine the manner and timing of their own death, a decision Dignitas cited as a testament to Minelli’s influence.
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