Ludwig Minelli, 92, founder of the Swiss assisted dying group "Dignitas," died by voluntary assisted suicide a few days before his 93rd birthday. Dignitas said in a statement last month that "Minelli devoted his life to freedom of choice and self-determination." But after the announcement of his death, key information such as his health status at the time of death, diagnosis, and underlying conditions has not been confirmed anywhere. Swiss and Anglo-American outlets alike reported only that he "died by assisted suicide," while remaining silent on any medical background.
On the 1st (local time), ABC News and others reported that Minelli began his career as a Swiss journalist and founded Dignitas in 1998, after which he spent decades as a central figure in the "right to die" movement. He helped secure recognition of assisted suicide as an individual right by drawing on case law from the European Court of Human Rights. Dignitas has also sparked international controversy by offering assisted suicide procedures not only within Switzerland but also to foreign nationals. The operating model he created later spread to Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and debate over legalizing assisted suicide is ongoing in the United Kingdom.
However, it remains unclear why Minelli chose assisted suicide. Several structural and cultural factors are cited as reasons for the lack of information surrounding his cause of death.
First, Switzerland's assisted suicide system operates on the premise of absolute respect for "individual self-determination." Unless the person or family discloses health information, organizations or medical staff cannot reveal details. Federal law in Switzerland strongly protects medical privacy, and a deceased person's health records are not released externally unless the bereaved family wishes to disclose them. In practice, it is common for Swiss outlets not to address diagnoses or terminal status in coverage related to assisted suicide.
Dignitas' organizational culture is also cited as a factor limiting disclosure. The group upholds "freedom of choice" and "protection of privacy" as core values and releases only the minimum information its members reveal. During his life, Minelli repeatedly emphasized that "disclosure that infringes on the dignity of individuals who chose death must not be allowed." In its announcement of Minelli's death on the 29th of last month, the group said only that "Minelli met a death he decided himself," without mentioning health issues.
Ethical burdens surrounding assisted suicide also appear to have played a role. Because Minelli was a symbolic figure in the assisted dying movement, releasing the specific background of his death could have fueled political controversy. Local outlets' focus on the institutional significance of assisted suicide rather than the medical reasons is seen in the same light. Groups opposing assisted suicide have argued that "there is a risk that socially vulnerable people may be enticed to end their own lives," and disclosing details of Minelli's case could have reignited that debate.
As a result, the only thing left in news of this death was Dignitas' official message: the explanation that it was "Minelli's final choice, decided by himself." Still, some say Minelli's death could rekindle debate over where to draw the line between transparency of the assisted suicide system and protection of privacy.