The Swiss human rights lawyer who turned assisted death into a global political and moral battleground has ended his own life at one of his clinics, assisted dying group Dignitas has announced.

Ludwig Minelli, founder and secretary-general of the Zurich-based group, died on November 29 "self-determinedly by voluntary assisted dying," days before his 93rd birthday.

Why It Matters

Minelli’s death closes the chapter on one of the most influential—and polarizing—figures in the modern right to die movement.

He helped embed the idea that choosing the manner and timing of one’s death can be a human right, winning landmark rulings in Swiss courts and at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Dignitas became the best-known destination for foreigners seeking assisted suicide , turning Sw

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