Suicide 'a marvellous opportunity'
2 April 2009 07:58am Add commentsThe founder of Swiss assisted suicide clinic Dignitas defended his organisation.

Ludwig Minelli - whose firm has helped more than 100 mostly terminally-ill Britons to die - said suicide presented a "marvellous opportunity" for people.

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

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

He added: "Suicide is a very good possibility to escape a situation which you can't alter."

Mr Minelli told the BBC that failed suicide attempts caused problems and extra costs for the UK'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."

© The Press Association

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I can understand a terminally ill or even mentally ill person wanting to take their own life, I really can. But how can someone justify advocating even fighting for this, and making it acceptable part of life? This man commits murder every time he helps someone do this, how does he look at himself in the mirror every morning?
BUT, I also think all of this is coming, eventually (if "man" has his way) the old, the infirm, and those that are a drain on societies resources will be euthanized for the "good" of all.

but he sees no problem in murdering someone who is fit and well , just grieving :(

After all, they want to die, right? )(cd()

If we are willing to kill an innocent baby in the womb, no one is safe. :(

Sad, but very true.