Legal experts have reiterated that attempting to commit suicide is a criminal offense in the UAE, and that those proven to have done it is subject to jail time and a whopping fine.
According to the Article 335 of the UAE Federal Law No. 3 Penal Code, trying to take your own life is illegal in the UAE, and that instigators will be sentenced to the penalty prescribed for deliberate or attempted murder.
The punishment, if proven, will be “a jail sentence for a minimum period of six months and/or to a fine not in excess of AED5,000.”
However, according to UAE lawyer Dr. Hassan Mohsen, one of the main factors considered by a court is the intention of the accused and whether there was a genuine desire to kill oneself.
“The criminal court has the discretionary power to reach a conclusion on the person’s intentions, usually based on a medical statement or the statements of family members. If prosecutors believed that there was no intention to commit suicide, they also have the power to close the case and return the accused’s passport,” he said in an article on his official website.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan, a legal expert at UAE-based law firm Bin Eid, said that for instigators below 18 or partially incapacitated, the suicide attempt will be considered as an “aggravating circumstance.”
“Usually, judges consider the psychological circumstances of the person and keep a lenient point of view on the verdict and penalize just with fine, but the punishment depends on case by case,” he said.
Khan added that for those who have thought about doing this offense, they should seek professional help.
“Person should consult all issues with family and friends so some solutions can be made, and if there are more serious mental disorders, then they must ask help from a psychiatrist,” he added.
