Sixth suicide among Ramhormoz students in a month

The governor of Ramhormoz confirmed the suicide of a 15-year-old student in the city and said the cause of the “recent suicides” was being investigated. Apparently, five more suicides have occurred among Ramhormoz students in the past month.

According to ISNA news agency, the governor of Ramhormoz confirmed on Monday, November 16, the suicide of a female student in the city and said that a team has been formed to investigate the cause of the incident.

Arash Ghanbari says that to investigate this suicide and "recent suicides in Ramhormoz County," an expert team consisting of the police, social emergency, welfare, governorship, and education departments was formed to investigate what factors led to these incidents.

Six "Prabham" suicides in one month

The Asr-e-Janub news site reported that 15-year-old student Ramahramzi hanged himself on Friday evening, November 12, and that "prior to this mysterious suicide, five similar suicides have occurred among students in this city in the past month."

According to Ghanbari, there have been various discussions about the cause of the latest suicide case among teenagers, including the loss of a friend.

Rahim Rostami, head of the Ramhormoz Education Department, cites "family differences, blind prejudices, intellectual and emotional conflicts, and failure to respond to biological needs and requirements" as the main causes of recent suicides.

According to evidence, suicide cases among teenagers have increased since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran, although official and accurate statistics on this have not yet been published.

With the onset of the Corona crisis, almost all schools in Iran have been closed, and education is being conducted online using the Shad (Student Educational Network) app.

This network was launched by the Ministry of Education, and students must have access to high-speed internet and a smartphone or tablet to use it.

Suicide due to not having a cell phone

In recent months, numerous reports have been published indicating that students in remote areas are not able to access the internet or that children from poor families are not able to have smartphones, and apparently this issue has been the cause of suicide attempts in some cases.

Rostami says the reason for the suicide of a female student in Ramhormoz was "the family's opposition to providing her with a cell phone and the inability for the teenager to continue her education."

According to the head of the Ramhormoz Education Department, there are 27,000 students in this city, at least 4,000 of whom have been deprived of having a mobile phone to continue their education this year.

About two months ago, an 11-year-old student in Bandar Dir, Bushehr Province, attempted suicide. The media reported that the reason for this was that he did not have a cell phone, but this was later denied.

Many schools in Iran, especially in small towns and villages, lack the most basic amenities, such as heaters or air conditioners, and even adults do not have access to the internet.

Furthermore, with the ongoing economic crisis in Iran, the collapse of the rial's value, and the skyrocketing price increases, many families are unable to provide for their children's basic needs, and it is simply not possible for them to buy a mobile phone.

Source: DW