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The UAE government announced amendments to the Crimes and Penalties Law on October 8 that remove all criminal penalties for attempted suicide and redirect such cases toward preventive care, therapeutic support and humanitarian responses, according to Khaleej Times. The change eliminates a previous offence under Article 386 of Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 that carried up to six months in prison, a fine of up to Dh5,000 or both, with courts previously able to order treatment as an alternative. Legal expert Salam Pappinissery, CEO of Yab Legal Services, told Khaleej Times the amendment represents a compassionate and progressive step that will encourage those in psychological crises and their families to seek help early rather than face prosecution.
Psychologists across the country have hailed the reform for its potential to increase openness about suicidal thoughts and improve access to timely care. Fatima Simi Anwar, general manager at Bloom Beyond, told Khaleej Times the amendment could bring four key changes to how mental health professionals identify and respond to suicide risk. These include greater honesty from hospital patients who in the past described suicide attempts as accidents to avoid legal repercussions, she explained.
Nailah Mahmood, clinical psychologist at the German Neuroscience Centre, said in the same Khaleej Times report that the law change will build trust because disclosing such information will not get the client in trouble. Fabian Saarloos, another clinical psychologist at the German Neuroscience Centre, added that there will be an initial increase in reported cases as barriers fall. Professionals will also be able to ask more directly about suicidal ideation now that the fear of legal consequences has been removed, according to Simi Anwar.
The reform requires mental health services to prepare for higher demand with faster response times, experts cautioned in the October 14 Khaleej Times article. Simi Anwar stated that clinics should offer rapid-access pathways because a person who finally asks for help and is given an appointment six weeks away has been failed at the exact moment the law was meant to protect. She called for training all frontline clinicians to ask directly, assess risk, write collaborative safety plans and extend that capability beyond the mental health sector to emergency staff, paediatricians, teachers, HR managers and labour-camp welfare officers.
This latest amendment builds on an earlier 2020 reform that decriminalised self-harm acts not affecting others and referred affected individuals for mental health treatment instead of punishment, Khaleej Times recalled. A report by The National noted that recruitment of mental health specialists remains a significant challenge with a scarcity of psychiatrists and subspecialty professionals across the UAE. Plans to train 2,000 Abu Dhabi family doctors in mental health represent a positive move toward improving access to care, according to the same assessment.
The amendments retain graduated penalties for anyone who incites or assists suicide, the government statement distributed via Emirates News Agency indicated. Incitement or assistance that results in an attempt without death carries detention and a fine or either penalty, while causing permanent disability, illness or inability to perform personal tasks for more than 20 days raises the sentence to three to five years in prison plus a fine. If the actions lead to the victim’s death the penalty increases to five to seven years imprisonment, with aggravating factors applied if the victim is under 18 or has diminished will or perception.
