In which countries is suicide still considered a crime?
Executive summary
At least 20 countries still criminalised suicide or attempted suicide in the early 2020s, with older reviews finding about 25 such states plus around 20 more where Sharia or Islamic law can lead to punishment (figures vary by study and date) [1] [2] [3]. Recent decriminalisations (India, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia, Ghana and others cited) have changed national lists in the last few years, so any static count is out of date unless timestamped to a specific report [4] [5].
1. The headline numbers: contested tallies and different methodologies
Different authoritative surveys give different totals because they use different definitions—“suicide illegal” vs “attempted suicide punishable” vs “laws under religious courts”—and because laws have changed recently. A 2015 legal review found 25 countries where suicide was explicitly illegal plus about 20 more where Islamic/Sharia frameworks could result in punishment [3]. A 2021 report cited widely in press coverage concluded suicide remained a crime in about 20 countries [1] [6]. Recent NGO summaries and media pieces argue that about 40 countries still criminalise suicidal acts in some form, but those higher numbers come from broader definitions that include abetment and related offences [4].
2. Why counts diverge: law, practice and scope
Researchers disagree because statutes differ: some penal codes criminalise an individual’s attempted suicide; others criminalise aiding, abetting or encouraging suicide; yet others allow religious courts to impose penalties even if the civil code is silent. Mishara and Weisstub-style surveys of criminal codes produced the “25 countries” figure; other studies and media use narrower or broader criteria and thus produce counts around 20 or “about 40” [2] [7] [4].
3. Recent policy shifts that change the map
Decriminalisation has accelerated in the 2020s. Reported recent reversals include India, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia and Ghana among jurisdictions cited by NGOs and advocacy groups as having removed criminal penalties for attempted suicide in the last few years [4] [5]. Media coverage from 2021 noted several earlier repeals — Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Lebanon and others — showing that the roster of countries with criminalisation has been shrinking [6] [8]. Because countries keep reforming laws, any list needs a publication date.
4. Where criminalisation remains: examples and regional notes
Available sources list nations across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean among those that have retained criminal penalties historically. Academic and NGO reporting names countries in Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda) and South Asia (historically India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives, Thailand in comparative discussions) as having had legal penalties or complex legal situations; but specifics vary by country and by date of reform [9] [2] [3]. Press summaries have repeatedly emphasised that middle- and low-income countries account for many of the remaining criminalisation laws [8].
5. Legal penalties and real-world effects
Where attempted suicide is criminalised, penalties reported in coverage range from fines to prison terms of up to three years; allied legal consequences can also include nullification of wills or complicating access to health care or insurance [1] [8]. Advocacy groups argue criminalisation increases stigma and discourages help-seeking; multiple reports cite mental-health campaigners who say these laws harm prevention efforts [1] [4].
6. Research on outcomes: contradictory signals
Cross-country studies note the association between criminalisation and national suicide rates is complex and contested. A 2022 ecological study used lists of antisuicide laws to analyse 171 countries and cautioned that lists may be incomplete and that many confounders (HDI, religion, unemployment) complicate causal inference; it reported more than 20 countries still adopting antisuicide laws but stressed limits of ecological analysis [7]. The older global legal review also emphasised vast variance in application and enforcement [3].
7. What this means for readers and policymakers
Two policy takeaways appear consistently in the sources: lawmakers are actively reforming antisuicide laws in a trend toward decriminalisation, and advocacy groups and researchers urge that suicide be treated as a public‑health issue rather than a criminal one [4] [1]. However, available sources do not provide a single, up‑to‑date country-by-country list that is universally agreed; any claim of an exact current number should cite a dated source and note recent legal changes [2] [7].
Limitations and next steps: This analysis relies on the provided reporting and academic reviews, which differ in definitions and vintage; for a contemporaneous country-by-country status check you should consult the latest national statutes, WHO country reports or a live NGO tracker (not found in current reporting).