The United Arab Emirates announced an amendment to its federal Crimes and Penalties Law on Thursday, October 8, 2026, under which attempting suicide is no longer treated as a criminal offence. Previously, a person who survived an unsuccessful attempt to end their own life could face criminal charges and punishment. Under the revised text, such cases will instead be handled from a preventive, therapeutic and humanitarian standpoint rather than a punitive one.
At the same time, lawmakers sharply increased penalties for those who incite or assist others in taking their own lives. If a person who attempted suicide as a result of incitement or assistance survives without serious harm, the person responsible faces detention, a fine, or both. Where the victim suffers a permanent disability or illness lasting more than twenty days, the penalty rises to three to five years in prison plus a fine, and if the victim dies, the perpetrator faces five to seven years' imprisonment.
The amendment also strengthens protection for minors: if the victim is under 18 or lacks full mental capacity, this is treated as an aggravating factor, and in cases where the victim lacks will or awareness altogether, penalties equivalent to premeditated murder apply. Foreign nationals convicted of inciting or assisting suicide will additionally face deportation from the country.
Separately, the same amendment revises Article 384 of the law, setting a prison term of 15 to 20 years in cases where a victim's heirs waive their right to retribution (qisas).
The change reflects the UAE's broader push to rethink the legal treatment of mental health issues and to move away from criminalising matters linked to psychological distress, replacing punishment with support and treatment.