The House of Representatives is seeking to decriminalize attempted suicide with an amendment to the Criminal Code.
The amendment bill which has been passed for second reading is seeking to provide counselling for victims of attempted suicide instead of the one year prison term prescribed by the Principal Act.
The bill, sponsored by Francis Waive was passed for second reading after the debate on the general principles of the bill.
Leading the debate, Waive said the existing Act provides that;
“Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year”.
He noted that “it seems a monstrous procedure to inflict further suffering on even a single individual who already found life so unbearable, his chances of unhappiness so slender, that he is willing to face pain and death in order to cease living”.
The bill according to the lawmaker is proposing to amend section 327 of the Act with a provision that provides counselling.
“Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to compulsory counselling and community service for a period not less than six months,” the proposed Section 327 reads.
The bill was passed for second reading after it was put to vote by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen
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