Rising Suicide Cases Among Workers in Ahwaz… Ahmad Al-Khmees Becomes the Latest Victim of Marginalization and Harsh Living Conditions

Ahwaz witnessed another tragic incident with the suicide of Ahmad Al-Khmees, a worker at the Ahwaz Municipality, who was married and the father of a young daughter. Ahmad had previously spent about ten months in prison due to a divorce case and his inability to pay the dowry. After his release, he repeatedly returned to the doors of his department, hoping to be reinstated, but received no response or attention from the authorities, leaving him in a state of despair and hopelessness.

Accumulated economic pressures, complete neglect of his situation, and the psychological and living hardships he faced all contributed to Ahmad taking this painful step.

Ahmad’s tragedy is not an isolated case, but part of a growing pattern of suicide among dismissed or distressed workers in Ahwaz and nearby areas. Among the most notable cases are:

Raad Silawi – dismissed worker from Ghezanieh Oil

Kamal Baldi – dismissed from Ahwaz Steel (Ghamij)

Mohammad Gharawi – dismissed from Fallahiyah governorate, self-immolated in front of the building

Reza Sawari – Ahwaz

Farzad Jalali and Abbas Farisat – Khafajiya

Omid Sabri Pour – dismissed from Ahwaz Pipe Manufacturing

Younes Khosrji – dismissed from Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, committed self-immolation

Mohammad Babouei – worker at Bandar Imam Municipality, self-immolated

In 2025 alone, at least seven known cases of suicide or self-immolation among workers were recorded due to dismissal and poverty. However, the unreported cases likely exceed the documented ones, as many stories remain silent and unheard.

These incidents reflect the depth of the severe economic crisis, systemic marginalization, patronage-based employment, and ongoing discrimination against Arab workers in Ahwaz an oil-rich land whose people continue to suffer from hunger, unemployment, and oppression