Man Who Founded Assisted Suicide Nonprofit Dies at One of His Own Clinics at Age 92, Days Before His Birthday

Ludwig Minelli, the founder of Dignitas — the Swiss non-profit known for providing physician-assisted dying — has died at the age of 92.

The organization announced that Minelli chose to end his life “self-determinedly by voluntary assisted dying” at one of its own facilities on Saturday, Nov. 29. His death came just days before what would have been his 93rd birthday on Dec. 5.

A trained lawyer, Minelli also founded and served as general secretary of the Swiss Society for the European Convention on Human Rights. In its tribute, Dignitas described him as someone who consistently defended civil liberties and individual freedoms.

According to the group, Minelli spent his later years focused on how people could retain autonomy and personal choice over the final stages of their lives, always looking for practical ways to support that principle.

Minelli’s professional life first began in journalism. He joined a Swiss newspaper in 1956, and his experiences as a reporter eventually led him to study law in 1977. He completed his legal studies in 1981.

In 1998, he established Dignitas based on the belief that medically assisted dying should be available not only to people with terminal illnesses, but also to those with severe physical or mental suffering. The organization operates under strict eligibility and procedural rules. As of 2024, it has been involved in more than 4,000 assisted deaths.

Beyond providing assisted-dying services, Dignitas also supports palliative care, campaigns for right-to-die legislation worldwide, and runs initiatives aimed at preventing suicide attempts by addressing underlying distress and lack of support.

The organization said Minelli understood early on that many people who have experienced significant suffering still wish to live, provided they can achieve a personally acceptable quality of life. Dignitas emphasized that, in his view, effective support meant taking a person’s situation seriously, treating them respectfully, and clearly presenting all lawful options to ease their suffering — including, where permitted, medically assisted dying. Ultimately, Minelli believed that choosing among those options should rest with the individual.