Experts to examine suicides in Turkey

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) held a workshop on suicide to assess current suicide rates and potential risks for the current situation and for the future, Anadolu Agency reported July 26.

The workshop was initiated by the AKP Headquarters Social Affairs Directorate and based on statistics announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) and coordinated by AKP deputy chair Nükhet Hotar with a focus on possible preventative measures and seeking a strategy, the agency said.

Representatives from public health organizations and the department of police also participated in the workshop, where the structure of those institutions and coordination among them was also discussed.

Participants agreed to develop a joint strategic action plan that also included the government.

The workshop addressed the necessity of education and psychological support to prevent suicides, and participants decided to establish a group of experts including sociologists, religious officials and psychologists to examine the issue in detail.