UAE decriminalises attempted suicide in Crimes and Penalties Law amendments
The UAE announced on 8 October amendments to its Crimes and Penalties Law that remove criminal liability for attempted suicide, add graduated penalties for inciting or assisting suicide, and set a 15–20 year prison term when victims' heirs waive qisas.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2The UAE Government announced on Thursday 8 October 2026 that attempted suicide will no longer be a criminal offence, under amendments to the country's Crimes and Penalties Law issued as a Federal Decree Law. Gulf NewsN “Attempted suicide will no longer be treated as a criminal offence in the UAE under some new amendments to the country’s Crimes and Penalties Law” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “The UAE is to decriminalise attempted suicide as part of amendments to the country's Crimes and Penalties Law.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 2The government said such cases will be handled from a preventive, therapeutic and humanitarian perspective rather than through prosecution, so that people in psychological crisis are less afraid of legal consequences and seek medical help sooner. Gulf NewsN “such cases will be approached from a preventive, therapeutic and humanitarian perspective rather than through criminal prosecution” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “supports suicide prevention efforts, state news agency Wam said” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1Gulf News reports authorities said the approach would also improve monitoring of cases and data collection to support prevention and treatment measures. Gulf NewsN “improve the monitoring of cases and collection of relevant data” Read at Gulf News ↗
Centre · 1A 2020 amendment had already given judges discretion to offer mental health treatment as an alternative to prison for attempted suicide. The NationalN “A previous amendment in 2020 to the legislation on attempted suicide gave judges the discretion to offer mental health treatment as an alternative to prison.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 2The amendments introduce graduated penalties for encouraging or assisting suicide: detention, a fine or both if the person survives without specified serious consequences; three to five years' imprisonment plus a fine if the attempt causes permanent disability, illness or inability to perform personal tasks for more than 20 days; and five to seven years if the person dies. Gulf NewsN “the penalty increases to temporary imprisonment of between three and five years, along with a fine”“the offender faces temporary imprisonment of between five and seven years” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “the sentence is increased to up seven years in prison” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 2Accounts of the protections for minors differ in detail: Gulf News says inciting or assisting suicide is an aggravating circumstance if the victim is under 18 or has diminished will or perception, with murder penalties applying where the victim lacks will or perception, while The National says causing someone under 18 to attempt suicide is raised to premeditated murder. Gulf NewsN “Inciting or assisting suicide will be treated as an aggravating circumstance if the victim is under 18 years of age or has diminished will or perception.” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “If someone causes a person under the age of 18 to attempt suicide, the charge is raised to premeditated murder.” Read at The National ↗
Centre · 2Foreign nationals convicted of inciting or assisting suicide must be deported, and a court may exempt an offender who voluntarily intervenes and prevents the death, unless the attempt caused permanent disability, illness or inability to perform personal tasks for more than 20 days. Gulf NewsN “any foreign national convicted of inciting or assisting suicide must be deported”“A court may exempt an offender from punishment if the individual voluntarily intervenes before the suicide is completed” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “Foreign citizens found guilty of these charges face deportation.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 2The decree also amends Clause 3 of Article 384 on qisas (retribution): if the victim's heirs waive qisas at any stage, the offender faces 15 to 20 years in prison; The National says the previous minimum in such cases was seven years. Gulf NewsN “an offender will face imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 20 years if the victim’s heirs waive their right to qisas” Read at Gulf News ↗ The NationalN “Previously it had been the case that an offender still had to serve a minimum of seven years in prison, even if the victim's family waived their right to qisas.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1Dr Hassan Elhais, a lawyer at Amal Al Rashedi Lawyers and Legal Consultants, told The National that removing criminal liability recognises that someone in crisis needs care, and Dubai-based lawyer Nikhat Sardar Khan said the changes make the law easier to apply with clearer, outcome-based penalties. The NationalN “The removal of criminal liability for attempted suicide recognises that someone experiencing a crisis needs care and support”“they set clearer, outcome-based penalties for anyone who encourages or assists another person’s suicide” Read at The National ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the change as a government announcement, presenting it as a shift to a care-focused approach alongside tougher penalties for those who push others toward suicide.
- Emphasis
- Gulf News stresses the government's humanitarian and prevention rationale and detailed penalty tiers; The National adds the 2020 background, the earlier seven-year minimum and lawyers' comments.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet quotes mental health professionals or advocacy groups, and neither gives the law's decree number or effective date.
- Charged language
- “humanitarian approach”“compassionate response”
- For example
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“marking a shift towards a more humanitarian approach focused on mental health support, prevention and early intervention” — Gulf News
“Removing the fear of prosecution can encourage people to seek help earlier” — The National
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The UAE is decriminalising attempted suicide through amendments to the Crimes and Penalties Law.
- Penalties for inciting or assisting suicide rise with the outcome, up to five to seven years' imprisonment where death results.
- Foreign nationals convicted of these offences face deportation.
- Where victims' heirs waive qisas, offenders must still serve 15 to 20 years in prison.
Where accounts differ
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Treatment of incitement involving minors
- Centre
- Gulf News: an aggravating circumstance for victims under 18 or with diminished will or perception; murder penalties apply where the victim lacks will or perception. The National: causing someone under 18 to attempt suicide is raised to premeditated murder.
United Arab Emirates place
The UAE Government says the amendments modernise criminal legislation, protect life, and combine deterrence with a more compassionate response to people in psychological crisis.
“The UAE Government said the amendments form part of its continuing efforts to modernise criminal legislation” — Gulf News
“This amendment strengthens the effectiveness of legal deterrence” — The National
UAE Crimes and Penalties Law law
The amended law removes criminal liability for attempted suicide, adds graduated penalties for inciting or assisting it, and sets a 15–20 year term after a qisas waiver.
“the Federal Decree Law amends Clause 3 of Article 384 concerning qisas” — Gulf News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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UAE decriminalises attempted suicide under new law
Sympathetic Presents the reform largely in the government's terms, as a humanitarian, prevention-focused change with detailed penalty tiers.
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UAE amends Crimes and Penalties Law relating to suicide
Neutral Reports the amendments with historical context and comment from two lawyers, citing state news agency Wam.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 8 Oct 14:10 First Gulf NewsN UAE decriminalises attempted suicide under new law
- 8 Oct 19:06 +4h 56m The NationalN UAE amends Crimes and Penalties Law relating to suicide
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.