Ludwig Minelli, Founder of Swiss Assisted-Suicide Group, Dies at 92

Ludwig Minelli, the Swiss lawyer who founded Dignitas, an organization that assists people with suicide, died at his home in Forch, Switzerland, on December 2, 2025, at the age of 92; he took his own life with assistance. Minelli founded Dignitas in 1998, advocating for the right to die and assisting over 3,000 people in ending their lives. He believed assisted suicide was a fundamental exercise of free will, a view that drew both support and controversy. He faced legal challenges, including accusations of exploiting clients, but was acquitted. Inspired by his grandmother's suffering, Minelli became a human rights lawyer and advocate for assisted dying, contributing to Switzerland's pioneering role in the movement due to a 1942 law.

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