Suicide a ‘marvellous opportunity’

THE founder of Swiss assisted suicide clinic Dignitas defended his organisation last night.

Ludwig Minelli — whose firm has helped hundreds of mostly terminally-ill people to die — said suicide presented a “marvellous opportunity” for people.

In an interview on BBC Radio 4, the lawyer also said he plans to test the legality of helping a healthy person end their life alongside their terminally-ill partner.

Minelli said: “I have a totally different attitude to suicide. I say suicide is a marvellous, possibility given to a human being.”

He added: “Suicide is a very good possibility to escape a situation which you can’t alter.”

Minelli told the BBC that failed suicide attempts caused problems and extra costs for the Britain’s National Health Service.

“It is not a condition to have a terminal illness. Terminal illness is a British obsession,” he said.

“As a human rights lawyer I am opposed to the idea of paternalism. We do not make decisions for other people.”

He went on: “There is a couple living in Canada, the husband is ill, his partner is not ill but she told us here in my living room that, ‘If my husband goes, I would go at the same time with him’.

“We will now probably go to the courts in order to clear this question.”

Peter and Penelope Duff, from Somerset, used Dignitas to end their lives at the clinic in February.

The wealthy couple, aged 80 and 70 respectively, were both suffering from forms of colon and liver cancer.

Another notable case was that of paralysed former rugby player Daniel James, 23, who committed suicide at a clinic run by the organisation last September.

Last month former health secretary Patricia Hewitt called for a law change to protect those who helped terminally-ill relatives and friends travel abroad for an assisted suicide.

Ms Hewitt tabled an amendment, supported by MPs from all sides of the Commons, to the Government’s Coroners and Justice Bill to protect such individuals from prosecution.

Although suicide is no longer a crime in England and Wales, aiding and abetting suicide is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Swiss authorities are also reviewing their assisted suicide law, which could make it more difficult for people to travel to the country to commit suicide.