Suicide in Azerbaijan is a problem and it won't disappear any time soon

Tovuz - 18 year old boy

Ismayilli - 21 year old boy

Baku - 70 year old woman

Zardab - 19 year old boy

Ganja - 29 year old man

Mazikh village - 50 year old woman

Lankaran - 47 year old woman

These are just a few of recently reported suicide cases spreading across the country. I wonder how many go down unreported. Probably enough because there is no official mechanism of reporting of suicides. In an interview with AzadliqRadiosu Psychologist Azad Isazade the suicide rate in the country been on the rise since 2011. 

Isazade says there is a new group however among the recent suicides. "This is the risk group of those with bank loans". 

While not all of the reported cases are linked to outstanding debt it is indeed no news that the second devaluation in the country wrecked and continues to wreck the lives of many. How many is difficult to estimate given there is no reliable data and the government body responsible of collecting data and statistics are notorious for their biased reporting. 

What is interesting however is that the government remains silent about it and is yet to raise red flags on the issue and really address the matter.

Perhaps the government is hoping that it's new informants will also help to tackle this problem...

Suicide records soar in Azerbaijan

Hanging, self immolation, are some of the desperate ways Azerbaijanis are ending their lives because they are unable to take care of their families and pay off bank loans especially as the country hit its second devaluation in just one year. 

This time, it was a resident of Shirvan, 43-year-old Safayet Aghayev who hung himself in the garden of the house where he lived. His wife found the body. In his suicide letter Safayet said he was unable to find a job and had much debt. 

Another attempt to suicide took place in Aghcabedi. This time, a 52-year-old woman let herself ablaze due to outstanding debt. 

 In Lokbatan, young man, just 27 years old, hung himself inside the garage. 

An in another settlement, 39 year old Aynur Khanjanova hung herself. 

On January 23, Asim Mammadov, actor at Mingachevir State Drama Theater attempted suicide. The actor said he has 15,000USD in loans he cannot pay back. 

Another resident self immolated on January 19. Gulara Hasanova died of her wounds. 

And on January 13, Zafar Guliyev was found dead having hung himself from a tree. On the same day 34-year-old Goshgar Ashurov committed suicide by throwing himself under a train in Baku metro. 

And these are just reported deaths from the month of January [for some of the cases mentioned above, the reasons are yet unknown]. A series of attempts and deaths also took place last year.