Well-known psychotherapist commits a suicide in Azerbaijan – investigation underway

Dayanat Rzayev, a wall-known psychotherapist, committed a suicide, having hung himself on a belt in his apartment, late on January 25. His relatives say, he was depressed and didn’t show up for work for a couple of days. In his suicide note he asked not to blame anyone for his death. Dayanat Rzayev was 45.

However, as APA news agency was told in the Prosecutor’s Office of Yasalam district, Baku, criminal proceedings on the case had been instituted under Article 125 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan –‘incitement to suicide’.

Here, Dayanat Rzayev commented to Radio Liberty on the reasons for increased suicide rate in Azerbaijan, on the risk groups, as well as on the need to keep statistical records of such cases and inquire into their causes, that had been neglected in Azerbaijan. “90 % of suiciders are mentally healthy people. Men commit suicide more often than women, though women tend to talks about suicide more.” The psychotherapist says, suicides are mostly committed due to social injustice, as well as because there is no one a person could address for help to solve the problems he/she is facing.

Dayanat Rzayev eagerly agreed to give interviews and make comments to media resources. Therefore, Mass Media immediately responded to the reports on his death. Minval.az website released an article entitled: ‘A suicide that no one believes in’

• In response to the report.az, website inquiry, the Ministry of Interior of Azerbaijan reported that the total of 500 criminal cases were instituted under the ‘incitement to suicide’ article within 9 months of 2016.
• Kamala Talybova, a psychiatrist, the Head of Department of Emergency Psychological Assistance at the Health Ministry’s Mental Health Centre, told APA news agency, overall 327 people committed suicide in Azerbaijan in 2016.

Published: 26.01.2017