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The UAE government issued the Federal Decree Law to amend the Crimes and Penalties Law, removing all criminal penalties for individuals who attempt suicide. The decree directs authorities to address these cases through preventive care, mental health treatment and humanitarian support instead of prosecution. According to the government announcement, the change seeks to reduce fears of legal consequences that might prevent people experiencing psychological crises from seeking timely help. The reform also aims to improve monitoring of related data to strengthen national suicide prevention programmes.
A previous amendment to the law in 2020 had granted judges discretion to order mental health treatment as an alternative to imprisonment for attempted suicide. The 2026 decree goes further by removing the act entirely from the list of criminal offences. Dr Hassan Elhais, a lawyer at Amal Al Rashedi Lawyers and Legal Consultants, said in an interview with The National that the removal of criminal liability recognises that someone experiencing a crisis needs care and support. The new approach shifts the framework away from punishment toward early intervention.
The Federal Decree Law introduces graduated penalties for anyone who incites or assists another person to attempt suicide. Where the attempt does not result in death, the penalty is detention and a fine or either penalty, the decree states. If the attempt leads to permanent disability, serious illness or inability to perform personal tasks for more than 20 days, the punishment rises to temporary imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years plus a fine. The term increases to between five and seven years imprisonment if the incitement or assistance results in the person’s death.
Additional protections apply if the victim is under 18 years of age or has diminished will or perception, with the decree treating such cases as aggravating circumstances that can elevate charges to premeditated murder. Foreign nationals convicted under these provisions face deportation after serving their sentences. The amendments also revise qisas provisions, imposing imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 20 years when heirs waive their right to retribution in murder cases.
World Health Organization data places the UAE suicide mortality rate at 6.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019, a decline from 8.6 per 100,000 recorded in 2000. The figures reflect broader regional patterns in which suicide remains a public health concern addressed increasingly through mental health initiatives rather than solely legal measures. The decree aligns with the government’s stated goal of balancing societal protection with humanitarian considerations in criminal policy.
The changes form part of ongoing updates to Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on Crimes and Penalties, which the government has revised several times to reflect evolving social and legal priorities. Officials noted that the latest amendments advance criminal public policy while maintaining strong deterrents against actions that harm others. The decree takes effect following its publication in the official gazette.
