A panel discussion was organized at the Faculty of Law “MENTAL HEALTH – SUICIDE PREVENTION”

22/12/2023

The Faculty of Law of “Isa Boletini” University – Mitrovica and the RELOAD21 Youth Community UNDP Mitrovica organized a joint round table discussion on the topic: “MENTAL HEALTH – SUICIDE PREVENTION”! – Breathe Freely (Suicide Prevention). In a word, the opening of the table was made by the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. assoc. Dr. Islam Qerimi, who on behalf of the Rector of UIBM, Prof. assoc. Dr. Merita Shala and on his behalf, thanked all the participants of this table and in particular the co-organizer of this table, the ReLOaD2 UNDP Youth Community in Mitrovica. Dean Qerimi then presented his statement regarding the topic of the objective of the organization of this roundtable, which was addressed from the criminal-legal and criminological aspect. Then Mr. took the floor. Mehmet Salihu – Leader of the youth community ReLOaD2 UNDP Mitrovica and co-organizer of this round table, who presented the data from the beginning of the BONEVET & ReLOaD2 UNDP Organization Project for “MENTAL HEALTH – SUICIDE PREVENTION”! – Breathe Freely (Suicide Prevention).

At the end, Dean Qerimi presented the conclusions and recommendations from this table as follows:

– Suicides and attempted suicides are also active in the Mitrovica region;

– Suicides in the Region of Mitrovica are typical for the male gender, while suicides that have remained in the attempt are typical for the female gender;

– The age of the perpetrators of suicides who have remained in the attempt in the Mitrovica Region is different from the age of 14 to the age of 92 with a slightly higher percentage at the age of 31;

– The appearance of signs in the perpetrators of suicide and in those who have remained in the attempt are obvious, such as: buying certain tools for self-execution, poisons, buying poisons, sleeping and indifference, etc.

– The need for the organization of roundtables and scientific conferences for this purpose;

– Drafting of the state strategy for the prevention of this phenomenon;

– Organization of weekly television programs with psychologists, with the content of preventing such phenomena.

– Providing help to each other at every level-age group of the society;

The municipality of Mitrovica was represented by the vice-president Arian Tahiri, who supported this activity and expressed readiness to support other activities aimed at research and studies that raise the culture and vigilance of preventing negative phenomena in society and improving social well-being in the municipality of Mitrovica. A professional presentation from the psychological aspect was presented by Mrs. Nora Nimani, psychologist, who presented the phenomenon of suicides and attempted suicides and the causes that appear in people who belong to this category of people.

The Director of the Regional Directorate of the Kosovo Police for the South Mitrovica Region, Afërdita Mikullovci, presented an in-depth presentation regarding the statistics of suicides and attempted suicides in the Mitrovica region. She emphasized that since the last war until now in the region of Mitrovica, 200 people have committed suicide and 443 cases of suicide attempts. Among other things, Director Mikullovci emphasized that the Regional Police of Kosovo is taking intensive actions to expand cooperation with other relevant regional institutions in order to prevent this phenomenon in the Mitrovica region.

Professor Mensut Ademi – expert in the field of criminology and criminology presented his statement elaborating the forms and causes of the appearance of this phenomenon in an international comparison. Edona Shotani, who is engaged in the psychological issues of children in the schools of the Municipality of Vushtrri, also presented a summary of the work on this topic as a psychologist. The representative of the Correctional Service of Kosovo, Mr. Nebi Halil. He presented the number of 90 cases of natural deaths in the correctional centers of Kosovo so far, as well as the number of 24 cases of suicides. In the following, he also mentioned the intensive measures taken by these institutions to prevent this phenomenon. The document was also presented by Ass. LL.M Xhemajl Veliqi, PhD (c) from the Faculty of Law of UIBM, who, from a criminal legal point of view, specified the signs of this phenomenon and also mentioned the forms that have been successful in preventing these phenomena.

This table was followed with great interest by the professors of the Faculty of Law, prof. ass. dr. Arbnor Ajeti, vice dean for quality and international relations, as well as Prof. ass. dr. Mimosa Aliu; the students of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Education together with Dean Samire Bllaca – Balaj, who in the open discussion asked many questions and proposed various measures for the prevention of suicides and suicide attempts; the official of the People’s Advocate in southern Mitrovica, Arbër Berisha, as well as from the directors of schools in Mitrovica.