Swiss assisted suicide clinic dumped human remains in Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich

Alex Schadenberg
International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

In April 2010, Dignitas founder, Ludwig Minelli, was implicated in the discovery of cremation urns that were dumped in Lake Zurich. 

In June 2010, the Telegraph published an interview with former Dignitas employee, Soraya Wernli, who stated that Minelli was dumping cremation urns and Dignitas was based on Minelli's personal financial gain.

Swissinfo.ch reported that the Swiss high court upheld the requirement that Dignitas dispose all remains in cemeteries after Dignitas lost the court case. Swissinfo.ch reported:

Urns removed from Lake Zurich

The grisly find in 2010 prompted the local authorities to draft new regulations five years later that outlawed the professional disposal of human remains in the canton. Dignitas fought the order, arguing that it represented an unfair restriction of trade. But both the Administrative Court and now the Supreme Court have sided with the canton. 

The discovery of 67 urns in Lake Zurich, near to a Dignitas clinic, made international headlines seven years ago. The human remains were found by divers from the lake rescue service who were looking for a missing sunshade.  

A former Dignitas employee told the media that it was common to dump urns in the lake and estimated there to be around 300 in the watery grave. Dignitas denied the claims and Zurich prosecutors dropped a criminal probe after being unable to prove who had put the urns in the lake.

Dignitas is known for pushing the boundaries of assisted suicide in Switzerland.