Syria’s General Forensic Medicine Authority has recorded more than 51 suicides from the start of 2020 until May 10, 2020, including 36 men and 15 women.
Zaher Hajou, Director of the Forensic Medicine Authority, said that “five boys and eight girls under 18 years old were among the dead.” Suicide by hanging was the most common method, with 24 cases, while gunshot followed with 10 cases. There were eight cases of suicide by falling from high altitude, and another five cases of suicide by poison.
Hajou added in a statement to Tishreen that the highest number of cases, nine, were in Aleppo, with seven in Suweida, seven in the Damascus countryside, six in Damascus, six in Homs, six in Hama, five in Lattakia, and three in Tartous.
He pointed out that the number of suicides this year is similar to last year, which saw 124 cases, and that economic pressures, emotional reasons and failures in studies and work were the most notable causes.
He said, “The suicide of one citizen is a catastrophic loss because his life is not just his own but also society’s. For that reason, we hope to set up specific centers and a hotline to help those expressing suicidal thoughts, and the Forensic Authority is prepared to carry out this step.”
Hajou added that, “the danger comes from the fact that hanging came as the most used method, with about 50 percent of cases.”
“This is a strange culture that was not present previously. We view the role of negative media as having a role here, in that people who have suicidal thoughts learn how to hang themselves over the internet and Youtube,” he said. “This is all a result of the world opening up, as well as the internet, which has become available to everyone.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
