Dubai: A total of 25 people committed suicide in Dubai this year while 50 others have attempted to kill themselves, said Dubai Police on Wednesday.
The majority of victims were under the age of 30, according to police officers attending a workshop on the issue.
The workshop comes in the wake of a rash of global celebrity suicides in recent months.
In comparison, there were 90 suicides in the emirate last year, and 101 attempted suicides, Dubai police have revealed.
Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, assistant commander-in-chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs at Dubai Police, said that Dubai is keen to remain focused on the issue to help people in need.
“Suicide is a crime in the UAE and forbidden by religion. It has many reasons like financial crisis, family disputes and consuming painkillers and anti-depression medicine. Suicide can only bring sadness to the victims’ families. There are solutions for all reasons,” Brig Al Mansouri said. “We need to raise awareness among those in our society and follow up with attempted-suicide victims and help them to reach our main target, a society with no crimes.”
Meanwhile, Lt Colonel Rashid Abdul Rahman Bin Dhabawi, director of the Criminal Monitoring Section in the Criminal Investigation Department of Dubai Police, said the main reason behind suicides in the city was victims feeling humiliated or unjustly treated — something prevalent among labourers.
“Eighty per cent of suicides happen because victims feel humiliated or subject to injustice. Other reasons include family disputes and financial reasons. We had a session about suicide among labourers to raise awareness about their rights and help them to solve their problems rather than committing suicide. People commit suicide when they reach a dead end,” Lt Col Bin Dhabawi said.
Whenever a suicide incident happens in Dubai, the law enforcement procedures cost Dubai police Dh2,000.
What does the law say
UAE law prohibits suicide and suicide attempts. Individuals who attempt to kill themselves are treated as suspects and adjudicated before the Court of Misdemeanours.
Under Article 335 of the UAE Federal Penal Law, a suspect who attempts suicide faces a maximum of six months in prison and/or a maximum fine of Dh5,000
Being an accomplice to suicide is also a criminal act in the UAE, and any person who incites or encourages another person to commit suicide is also criminally liable.
No Blue Whale-related suicides
Captain Khalid Mattar, head of the Networks and Communication Section at Dubai police, said the UAE didn’t record any suicide attempt linked to online games such as ‘Blue Whale’.
“Online games [are] linked [to] many suicide attempts for teenagers in the world, like ‘Blue Whale’... We didn’t record any attempt suicide due to online games. There are signs that a person [is] playing it, [signs such as] scratches and injuries on their bodies,” Captain Mattar said.
Officials urged parents to look after their children and not leave them unmonitored for long hours.
Dubai Police said the hotline to help those contemplating suicide is 901.
