Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. It has an ancient heritage with traditions dating back centuries. Traditional music and dance forms like the dabke are integral to cultural life and celebration.

Lebanon is home to Arabs, Armenians, Kurds and Europeans who form various religious and cultural communities. The country's religious makeup includes 65% Muslim (about 33% Sunni and Shia) and 31% Christian. This mixture of faiths and cultures contributes to Lebanon's reputation as a tolerant and multicultural country.

Lebanon's legal system is a mix of French Civil Law with Islamic Law (Sharia) Law overlapping in personal and family matters when all the participants are of the same faith.

Like many other nations, Lebanon inherited colonial-era laws from countries such as the Ottoman Empire and the French Mandate. Although suicide was decriminalised in France in 1791, the offence has remained in the corpus of other laws around the world.

Lebanon is currently facing pressing mental health challenges from an economic crisis, an influx of refugees, and recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a 42% rise in suicide rates to July 2022 compared to the previous year.In response, Lebanon has implemented initiatives for suicide prevention, a 24/7 crisis line offering emotional support and suicide prevention services.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for the decriminalisation of suicide and suicide attempts. Finding out more and removing such laws removes stigma and allows avenues for providing appropriate mental health support to individuals in crisis.

Criminalising suicide punishes distress. Decriminalising suicide saves lives.