List of political self-immolations

Listing of politically motivated suicides From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of political self-immolations

This is a list of notable people who committed self-immolation, the act of setting themselves on fire for political reasons. Non-political self-immolations are not included in the list.

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The self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức, done in protest against Buddhist persecution by Christians

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1940s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
1948Kuo-shun Republic of China (Communist-controlled Zone)Persecution of Buddhists and destruction of sacred objects by the government of Mao ZedongBuddhist monk from Vietnam.[1] In the city of Harbin, he sat in the lotus position on a pile of sawdust and soybean oil and self-immolated.[2][3]
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1950s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
December 8, 1959Poh Kwong ThailandLoss of money intended to build a new hospital, was possibly swindled through government corruptionBuddhist monk from China. In the city of Bangkok, he sat on a five-foot pyre and attempted to self-immolate before being stopped by police.[1][4]
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1960s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
June 11, 1963Thích Quảng Đức66 South VietnamPersecution of Buddhists by the government of Ngô Đình DiệmLed to several other monks and nuns committing the same act. Before Diệm was toppled, the photo, photographed by Malcolm Browne, became well-associated with his political protest.
August 4, 1963 Thitch Mguyen Huong [sic] 20s Buddhist monk. Self-immolated in the town center of Phan Thiết. Government soldiers removed his body before other monks could recover it.[5]
August 13, 1963 Thich Thanh Tuck [sic] 17 Buddhist novice monk.[5]
August 15, 1963 Dieti Quang [sic] Buddhist nun. Self-immolated in the courtyard of Từ Đàm Pagoda in Huế.[5]
August 16, 1963 Thich Tieu 71 Buddhist monk. He soaked his robes in gasoline and self-immolated in the courtyard of Từ Đàm Pagoda in Huế. Before, he announced over the loudspeaker that he was going to commit suicide in demand for Buddhist rights. After his death (the third self-immolation in one week), the government declared martial law, sparking more Buddhist protests.[5]
October 27, 1963 Ho Dan Van 35–45 Buddhist monk. Dressed in civilian clothing, he was dropped off by a motorcyclist in front of a Catholic cathedral in Saigon, where he squatted in a lotus-fashion, poured gasoline in his lap and struck a match.[6]
December 1963unidentified female South VietnamVietnam WarThree men self-immolated in the next week, all for personal reasons.[7]
January 25, 1964Kizappazuvur Chinnasamy27 IndiaImposition of Hindi over the Tamil languageInspired 5 other self-immolations.[5][8]
1965 Keeranoor Muthu 21 Hotel worker[5]
January 26, 1965 Kodambakkam Sivalingam 21 Madras city government employee[5]
January 27, 1965 Virugambakkam Aranganathan 33 Worked in Madras for the Telephone Department.[5]
February 11, 1965 Ayampalayam Veerappan 26 School headmaster[5]
February 1965 Satyamangalam Muthu 21 Farmer[5]
March 1965 Mayavaram Sarangapani 20 Student[5]
March 16, 1965Alice Herz82 United StatesVietnam WarWomen Strike for Peace member. Self-immolated on a street corner in Detroit, Michigan.[5]
April 20, 1965 Thich Giac Thanh Saigon, Vietnam Vietnam War Buddhist monk[9]
July 23, 1965 Huh Jik 62  South Korea Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea Worked for a minor political party. Self-immolated on the steps of the Seoul Capitol.[5]
October 12, 1965 Hiroko Hayashi 36  United States Vietnam War Japanese American. Self-immolated in San Diego, California.[note 1]
November 2, 1965Norman Morrison31Quaker from Baltimore.[5] Committed act below Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's Pentagon office in front of his one-year-old daughter.[10]
November 9, 1965Roger Allen LaPorte22Catholic Worker. Self-immolated in front of the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.[11]
November 9, 1965 Celene Jankowski 24 Mother whose three-month-old baby girl died in October 1965. Her brother had also died in the Korean War. Self-immolated in front of her home in South Bend, Indiana.[5] Survived.
April 7, 1966 Nikolai Didyk 26  Soviet Union Government refusal to let him fight in the Vietnam War Died on April 10.[12]
May 28, 1966 Thích Nữ Thanh Quảng 55  South Vietnam Government of Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and United States support of the regime (Buddhist Uprising) Buddhist nun.[5][13]
May 28, 1966 Ho Thi Thieu 58 Buddhist laywoman. Self-immolated in pagoda in Saigon. Thousands were present, and monks covered her body with a Buddhist flag.[5][13]
May 28, 1966 Thích Nữ Vinh Ngoc 19 Buddhist nun. Self-immolated in Huế.[5][14]
May 29, 1966 Name missing Buddhist monk self-immolated in Da Lat.[13]
May 31, 1966 Nguyen Thi Van 17 Buddhist laywoman. Self-immolated outside a pagoda in Huế.[5][14]
May 31, 1966 Name missing Buddhist[14]
May 31, 1966 Name missing Buddhist[14]
June 4, 1966 Thích Nữ Dien Dinh 26 Buddhist nun. Self-immolated in the courtyard of a small pagoda in Da Nang.[5][14]
June 4, 1966 Thích Nữ Bao Luan 24 Buddhist nun. Self-immolated in the same location as Thích Du Dien Dinh in Da Nang.[5][14]
June 4, 1966 Thích Dieu Nữ Tri Buddhist nun. Self-immolated in the same location as Thích Du Dien Dinh in Da Nang.[5][14]
June 4, 1966 Name missing Novice Buddhist monk. Self-immolated in Quảng Trị[14]
June 17, 1966 Woman; name missing [5]
July 12, 1966 Liangqing70 ChinaDestruction of the Famen TempleBuddhist monk[15]
May 16, 1967Nhất Chi Mai34 South VietnamVietnam WarBuddhist nun[5][16]
August 18, 1967John Copping33 United StatesVietnam WarNavy veteran.[17]
October 3, 1967 Thích Nữ Tri  South Vietnam 1967 South Vietnamese presidential election Buddhist nun[5][18]
October 8, 1967 Woman; name missing
October 15, 1967Florence Beaumont55 United StatesVietnam War[19]
October 22, 1967 Thích Nữ Hue  South Vietnam 1967 South Vietnamese presidential election Buddhist nun[5][18]
November 1, 1967 Thích Nữ Thuong
November 12, 1967Yui Chunoshin [eo]73 JapanVietnam WarEsperantist[20][21][22]
December 4, 1967 Erik Thoen 27  United States Zen Buddhist. Self-immolated in Sunnyvale, California.[5]
February 29, 1968 Pham Van Qui 28  South Vietnam Buddhist layman self-immolated outside pagoda.[23]
March 19, 1968 Ronald Brazee 16  United States Student. Died 5 weeks later.[24]
April 2, 1968 Kazuo Shirakawa 17  Japan Burned self with kerosene outside the U.S. consulate in Osaka. Died 12 hours later.[25]
September 8, 1968Ryszard Siwiec59 PolandPoland's participation in Warsaw Pact invasion of CzechoslovakiaDied 4 days later.[26]
September 14, 1968 Michaele Burrazzo 40  Italy Unemployment Survived.[27]
November 5, 1968Vasyl Makukh40 Soviet UnionSoviet rule in UkraineSelf-immolated on Khreshchatyk, Kyiv's main street, while shouting "Colonialism out of Ukraine!" and "Long live a free Ukraine!"[28]
January 16, 1969Jan Palach20 CzechoslovakiaWarsaw Pact invasion of CzechoslovakiaStudent. Inspired other self-immolations in Soviet satellite states.[29]
January 20, 1969Sándor Bauer17 HungaryCommunist rule in Hungary and Warsaw Pact invasion of CzechoslovakiaDied 3 Days later[5][30]
January 20, 1969 Josef Hlavatý 25  Czechoslovakia Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia Blue-collar worker. Self-immolated in Plzeň. Died 5 days later.[5][31]
January 22, 1969 Miroslav Malinka Blue-collar worker. Referenced Jan Palach. Self-immolated in Brno.[5][31]
January 26, 1969 Jan Bereš 16 Apprentice. Referenced Jan Palach. Self-immolated in Cheb.[31]
January 31, 1969 Gilbert Antonio Sanginetto 19  Italy Survived.[32]
February 10, 1969 Mykola Bereslavsky 45  Soviet Union Soviet rule in Ukraine [5]
February 15, 1969 Lodovico Ferretti 17  Italy Anger against capitalist system Survived.[33]
February 25, 1969Jan Zajíc19 CzechoslovakiaCommunist rule in CzechoslovakiaStudent[citation needed]
March 30, 1969Francine Lecomte30 FranceNigerian Civil WarWoman, apparently obsessed with Biafra, set herself on fire and died outside the Nigerian embassy in Paris.[34][35]
April 2, 1969Evžen Plocek39 CzechoslovakiaCommunist rule in CzechoslovakiaBusinessman[citation needed]
April 9, 1969Eliyahu Rips20 Soviet UnionSurvived. Later became professor of mathematics.[citation needed]
April 11, 1969Michal Lefčík [sk]19 CzechoslovakiaSoldier[36]
May 30, 1969Bruce Mayrock20 United StatesGenocide against Biafra in the Nigerian Civil WarColumbia University student. Died several hours later.[37]
July 3, 1969 Unknown male 17  West Germany Transportation fares Set himself on fire in Saarbrücken after more than a week of protests. Survived.[38]
August 21, 1969 Jan Polášek 19  Czechoslovakia Communist rule in Czechoslovakia Survived self-immolation in Brno.[39]
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1970s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
January 17, 1970Regis –17 FranceNigerian Civil War[40]
January 20, 1970Robert Gerenkens18 France"Wars and the follies of men"Attended the same school in Lille as Regis, the previous self-immolator.[40]
February 13, 1970Márton Moyses28 RomaniaCommunist rule in Romania[5]
April 10, 1970Rafael Elizalde Mac-Clure62 or 63 ChileClimate crisis inactionWriter, activist and translator who set himself on fire near the Eulogio Sánchez Airport.[41][42]
May 6, 1970 Robert Rex Vice 27  United States Vietnam War and Kent State Shootings Non-student protester at Wabash College demonstration.[43] Died later in hospital.
May 10, 1970George Winne Jr.23 United StatesVietnam WarStudent at the University of California, San Diego. Died the following day.[44]
June 4, 1970 Thích Nữ Lien Tap 24  South Vietnam Buddhist nun[5][18]
September 19, 1970Kostas Georgakis22 GreeceMilitary rule in GreeceStudent at the University of Genoa[citation needed]
September 19, 1970Joseba Elosegi54 SpainBombing of Guernica in 1937. Independence of the Basque Country.Survived[5]
October 2, 1970unidentified male FranceCommunist rule in Czechoslovakia[45]
November 13, 1970Jeon Tae-il22 South KoreaLabor conditions and the government's opposition to reform[5]
May 1971 Nguyen Thi Co  South Vietnam Vietnam War Buddhist nun[5][18]
Thích Nữ Tinh Nhuan
August 16, 1971 Man; name missing Vietnam War veteran[5]
Nguyen Minh Dang 37 Vietnam War veteran[5]
October 1971 Thích Nữ Tinh Cuong Buddhist nun[5][18]
1972 Thích Nữ Dien Han Buddhist nun[5][18]
May 14, 1972Romas Kalanta19 Soviet UnionCommunist rule in LithuaniaInspired largest post-war riots in occupied Lithuania and the USSR and 13 other self-immolations
May 29, 1972 V. Stonys 24 Self-immolated in Varėna.[5]
June 6, 1972Huguette Gaulin28 CanadaFrench Canadian novelist who publicly self-immolated in Montreal while screaming "You have destroyed the beauty of the world!"[46]
September 27, 1972unidentified male37 DenmarkProtest against European Common Market and his unemploymentSurvived with extensive second-degree burns.[47]
September 30, 1972 Józef Dolak 26 or 27  Poland Protest against Communist rule in Poland Probably followed the example of Jan Palach[48]
October 7, 1972Willie B. Phillips27 United StatesRacism against African-AmericansSelf-immolated at Atlanta parade. Died in hospital.[49]
1974 Thích Nữ Du Dieu  South Vietnam Vietnam War Buddhist nun[5][18]
August 15, 1974Phan Van Lua33 South VietnamAnti-CommunismVietnam War veteran discharged with wounds self-immolated in front of the National Assembly. Died at scene.[50]
August 10, 1976Antanas Kalinauskas19 Soviet UnionCommunist rule in LithuaniaIn Soviet Army barracks in Gulbene, Latvia. Died the following day.
August 22, 1976Oskar Brüsewitz47 East GermanyCommunist repression of religion in East GermanyLutheran pastor[51]
February 10, 1977Alain Escoffier27 FranceCommunismMember of the Party of New Forces, a neo-fascist political party.[citation needed]
September 1, 1977Leopoldo Aragon SwedenProtest against Torrijos–Carter TreatiesA Panamanian national self-immolated in front of the U.S. embassy in Stockholm.[52]
November 16, 1977Hartmut Gründler37 West GermanyAtomic policy[citation needed]
January 21, 1978Oleksa Mykolajovyč Hirnyk65 Soviet UnionCommunist rule in Ukraine[48]Probably followed the example of Jan Palach.
February 8, 1978Erika Ruppert24 West GermanyPolitical protestRuppert and Helmut Kleinknecht wrote a letter a day before their act in which they explained the reasoning behind their decision, and their affiliation with Ananda Marga. The next morning, she and Kleinknecht doused themselves with gasoline and self-immolated at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin.[53][54]
February 8, 1978Helmut Kleinknecht28Self-immolated along with Erika Ruppert at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin.[53][54]
May 4, 1978Andre Kilchinski41 IsraelProtest against NazismOccurred on Holocaust Day. Rescued with slight burns.[55]
June 14, 1978Elizabeth Weniger25 PhilippinesPolitical protestSwiss-born Elizabeth Weniger self-immolated at Rizal Park in Manila after distributing leaflets explaining her reasons.[56][57][58]
June 23, 1978Musa Mamut46 Soviet UnionDiscrimination against Crimean Tatars in the Soviet residence permit system, which prohibited nearly all Crimean Tatars who were deported in 1944 from returning to their place of birthMamut was born and raised Crimea until the NKVD deported all Crimean Tatars to Central Asia in May 1944. He returned to Crimea in 1975 and was later arrested and charged for not having a residence permit to live there, despite being born in the peninsula; the residence permit system was designed to prevent exiled Crimean Tatars from returning to their homeland. Then police came to arrest him on 23 June 1978 Mamut self-immolated rather than being deported again and died 5 days later.[59]
September 17, 1978 Rolf Günther 41  East Germany Probably protest against repression of religion in East Germany, maybe also internal church conflicts Set himself on fire in front of 300 people after revealing a banner that read "finally wake up!" [60]
October 3, 1978Lynette Phillips24  SwitzerlandSocial protestLynette Phillips had previously planned to self-immolate outside the British Houses of Parliament in London, but upon receiving word of this, British authorities deported her. She changed her plan and decided to self-immolate outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. She protested against "inhumanity, injustice and irrationality prevalent in our society". She died at the scene.[61]
December 28, 1978Chiao Shaoying40 TaiwanNationalismTaken to hospital in poor condition.[62]
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1980s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
March 21, 1980Walenty Badylak76 PolandKatyn massacreHome Army veteran self-immolated chained to a well in the Main Square, Kraków.[63][64]
March 21, 1981Per-Axel Arosenius60 SwedenTaxes[citation needed]
May 18, 1982 Mahmut Zengin Ferhat Kurtay

Eşref Anyık

Necmi Öner

 Turkey Detention conditions in Prison The four were members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party protesting the detention conditions in the Diyarbakır prison after the coup d'état in 1980.[65]
May 26, 1982 Semra Ertan 25  West Germany Racism towards Turkish workers in Germany Writer and poet.[66]
August 10, 1982Artin Penik61 TurkeyASALA attack at Esenboğa International Airport[citation needed]Set himself on fire in Taksim Square.
March 5, 1983Cecil Andrews37 United StatesUnemploymentWas listed in serious condition. His self-immolation was filmed by a television crew.[67]
November 2, 1983Sebastián Acevedo52 ChileKidnapping of his children by the Chilean police during the dictatorship of Augusto PinochetAfter 2 days of searching for his children, Acevedo self-immolated in front of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Concepción.[68]
July 10, 1984Ruth Christenson23 United StatesPornographySurvived initially.[69]
February 2, 1985 Mehmet Karahüseyinov 40  Bulgaria Treatment of Turks in Bulgaria Self-immolated after Bulgarian government tried to change his name. Survived heavily wounded, died 5 years later.[70]
March 27, 1985 Unidentified man 50s South Korea Protest against government's decision to return Chinese sailors Survived with minor injuries.[71]
February 14, 1986 Orland Payne McCafferty 58  United States Ronald Reagan's policies Set himself on fire outside the White House. Died a month later.[72][73]
February 25, 1986 Marko Djukic 63 Canada Trial to deport Andrija Artuković Croatian/Canadian self-immolated on University Ave. in Toronto across from US Consulate.[74] Survived for many years afterwards.
March 6, 1987 Pyo Jung-doo 25 South Korea Opposition to government and parliamentary system Survived with critical injuries after self-immolating outside American embassy in Seoul.[75]
April 27, 1987 Unidentified woman 60 Romania Government's refusal to let her travel to West Germany Self-immolated outside West German embassy in Bucharest.[76]
August 31, 1987 Antoine Thurel 56  United States Religious persecution in Haiti Cab driver from Haiti. Self-immolated in front of Statehouse in Boston. Died at the scene.[77]
September 20, 1987 Neusha Farrahi 31  United States Protest against the Khomeini government Self-immolated at a protest of around 1,000 people against the Iranian government. Died on October 2.[78][79]
September 10, 1988 Mehrdad Imen 32  United States Protest against the executions of political prisoners committed by the Khomeini government as well as human rights abuses in Iran Los Angeles resident originally from Iran. Flew from LA to NYC. Participated in a protest and self-immolated in front of the UN shortly after protest ended. Died the next day.[80]
March 2, 1989Liviu Cornel Babeș47Communist rule in RomaniaSelf-immolated on ski slope. Died 2 hours later.[81]
March 2, 1989Vytautas Vičiulis37Communist rule in Lithuania[citation needed]
March 24, 1989Kailash PawarTo draw attention to plight of Bhopal gas victims and protest public indifferenceOriginal story published in The Hindu, March 26, 1990.[82]
April 7, 1989Cheng Nan-jung41 TaiwanFor freedom of speech and Taiwan independence
May 19, 1989Chan I-hua32During funeral procession of Cheng Nan-jung.[83]
May 23, 1989 Karl Koch 23  West Germany unknown Controversial whether death by suicide or murder [84]
October 24, 1989 Shavkat Yarullin 40  Soviet Union In protest of exile and mistreatment of Crimean Tatars by the government Self-immolated in front of a government building. Died several hours later.[85]
December 14, 1989 Seidamet Balji In protest of exile and mistreatment of Crimean Tatars by the government While being forced to leave Yalta he doused himself with gasoline and self-immolated. Survived after being extinguished, but said he would do it again if he had to live in exile for longer.[85]
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1990s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
March 21, 1990 Zekiye Alkan  Turkey Ban of Newroz celebrations Medical student who self-immolated on Newroz.[86][87]
April 26, 1990Stanislovas Žemaitis52 Soviet UnionCommunist rule in LithuaniaProtesting Soviet economic blockade of Lithuania. Died the following day in Moscow hospital.[citation needed]
May 9, 1990Rimantas Daugintis55 Soviet UnionCommunist rule in LithuaniaLithuanian sculptor self-immolated on Hungarian–Soviet border. Died a few days later.
June 21, 1990unidentified male32 People's Republic of BulgariaAlleged election fraudInitially survived.[88]
September 19, 1990Rajiv Goswami19 IndiaReservation in IndiaSurvived[89]
October 14, 1990Thanawut Klingchuea20 ThailandGovernment of Chatichai ChoonhavanRamkhamhaeng University student[90]
December 9, 1990Timothy Brown48 United StatesGulf WarSelf-described Vietnam War veteran set himself on fire at an abandoned cannery.[91]
January 10, 1991Richard Breeze38Took place after an anti-war rally.[92]
February 18, 1991Gregory Levey30Took place in Amherst Common, Massachusetts.[93]
April 29, 1991Park Seung-hee20 South KoreaPolitical situation in South KoreaSelf-immolated after student demonstrator Kang Kyung-dae was beaten to death by police. She was buried at the May 18th National Cemetery.[94][95]
September 21, 1991Giorgi Abesadze35 GeorgiaLooming civil war in GeorgiaPhysician[96]
March 21, 1992 Rahşan Demirel  Turkey Treatment of Kurds by Turkey She self-immolated on Newroz.[87]
April 6, 1993Binh Gia Pham43 United StatesPersecution of Buddhists in VietnamBinh Gia Pham had five friends tape his self-immolation outside Boston. Died at the scene.[97][98]
April 29, 1993Graham Bamford48 United KingdomWar in Bosnia and Herzegovina'The British army must not be a guard of honour at a mass funeral. Bosnian babies, children, and womenfolk are waiting for the politicians to do what they know they should – give them military protection.'[99]
January 27, 1994 Son Ha Hoang 27  Germany Imminent deportation Originally from Vietnam, he sought asylum in Germany.[53]
February 21, 1994Homa Darabi54 IranLegal obligation under the Islamic Criminal Code (Art. 139) for women to wear the headscarf in public[100]Pediatrician, political activist. Died the following day
March 21, 1994 Nilgün Yıldırım and Bedriye Taş Repression of Kurdish identity and traditions They immolated themselves on Newroz, an important festivity for the Kurds[87]
March 9, 1995unidentified male United States"Genocide and human rights violations" in Poland; planned deportation to PolandSelf-immolated in an International Red Cross office.[101]
April 25, 1995Reinhold Elstner [de]75 Germany"Slander and demonization" of German soldiers after World War IIWehrmacht veteran. Died in a Munich hospital 12 hours later.[102]
September 3, 1995Sabine Kratze25 VietnamTrial of six Buddhist monks[103]
December 15, 1995 Abdul Raoob 23  India Killing of the Sri Lankan Tamils Self-immolated himself in Trichy, Tamil Nadu over the Killings of Sri Lankan Tamils committed by the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lanka government and to Protest against India playing the Sri Lanka Cricket team in Chennai.[104]
October 22, 1996Kathy Change46 United StatesFor directly democratic community-based self-government[citation needed]
January 7, 1998 unknown male 24  Germany Imminent deportation A Kurdish man who set himself on fire in Wessel, Germany. He sought asylum there.[53]
January 13, 1998Alfredo Ormando39 ItalyCatholic Church's condemnation of homosexuality[105]
April 27, 1998Thupten Ngodup60 IndiaPolitical situation in TibetEx-monk. In protest of police interference with unto-death hunger-strike in Delhi. Died 2 days later in hospital after visit by the Dalai Lama.[106][107][108]
February 16, 1999Necla Coşkun14 United KingdomArrest of Abdullah ÖcalanSurvived[109][110]
February 1999 Zülkuf Yilmaz   Switzerland Arrest of Abdullah Öcalan Survived[111]
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2000s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
January 23, 2001various ChinaSee Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident[112]
April 2, 2001Shahraz Kayani48 AustraliaGovernment refusal to grant entry to his wife and daughtersPakistani refugee[113]
December 1, 2001Eduardo Miño50 ChilePizarreño asbestos disaster[114]
November 15, 2002Milos Redzepovic34 GermanyPlanned deportation of his family to SerbiaDoused himself in gasoline and self-immolated inside the town hall of Syke. Died the following day.[115]
March 6, 2003Zdeněk Adamec19 Czech RepublicIraq WarSelf-immolated in Prague. Died at the scene.[116][117]
June 23, 2003Neda Hassani26 United KingdomRaid on and arrest of members of the People's Mujahedin of IranSelf-immolated in front of the French embassy in London. Died at the scene. There were at least 4 other self-immolations protesting the same.[118]
July 21, 2004Mordehai (Hamimo) Cohen30 IsraelRejection of work licenseSelf-immolated during a City Hall assembly.[119]
October 5, 2004Maggy Mufu Delvaux44 LuxembourgProtest against institutionalized racismSelf-immolated in a public place[120] Money problems resulting from the Luxembourgish government denying her family the authorisation to open a garage despite meeting all the legal requirements and suing the State for discrimination have driven the woman to desperately plead her case publicly after writing an open letter to the Prime Minister warning him of what she was about to do. However no help was sent to her to prevent her immolation.[121]
August 17, 2005Yelena Businov54 IsraelProtest against the Israeli disengagement from Gaza[122]
August 31, 2005Baruch Ben Menahem21[123]
March 28, 2006Eleftheria Fourtoulaki  GreeceTreatment of Kurds in Turkey[124]
June 11, 2006Pravin Joshi30 IndiaScreening of FanaaDied 9 days later.[125]
October 31, 2006Roland Weisselberg73 GermanySpread of IslamFormer Lutheran pastor self-immolated in a former monastery in Erfurt. Died the following day.[126]
November 3, 2006Malachi Ritscher52 United StatesWar in IraqDied at the scene.[127]
November 23, 2006 Lhakpa Tsering 23  India Political situation in Tibet Survived[128]
March 7, 2007Uddhav Bhandari40 United KingdomAsylum policyNepali asylum seeker[129]
April 1, 2007Heo Se-uk54 South KoreaSouth Korea – United States Free Trade Agreement[130]
October 1, 2008Ramiro Guillén Tapia65 MexicoProtest against the dispossession and destruction of lands by the local government in the city of XalapaSelf-immolated after being informed that the governor had canceled discussions to end the agrarian conflict.[131]
January 29, 2009Kumar Muthukumar26 IndiaKilling of the Sri Lankan TamilsInspired several other self-immolations[132]
February 12, 2009Murugathasan Varnakulasingham26  SwitzerlandKilling of the Sri Lankan TamilsInspired several other self-immolations[133]
February 27, 2009Tapeymid-20s TibetPolitical situation in TibetMonk, Kirti Monastery, Ngaba. Shot[134] by Chinese police while on fire, and then taken away by them. Current status unknown.[134]
November 13, 2009Tang Fu-zhen47  ChinaForced demolition of her homeDied 16 days later.[135]
December 3, 2009Kasoju Srikanth Chary24 IndiaFor statehood of TelanganaDied the following day.[136]
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2010s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
February 20, 2010Siripur Yadaiah19 IndiaFor statehood of TelanganaStudent. Self immolated at the main gate of Osmania University, Hyderabad. Died the next day in hospital.[137][138]
July 31, 2010Eshan Reddy20sStudent. Self-immolated as an offering for a deity for the cause of statehood.[139]
September 10, 2010 Ye Zhongcheng79 ChinaForced demolition of their homeZhongcheng self-immolated with two family members and died on September 18.[140]
December 17, 2010Tarek el-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi26 TunisiaCorruption in governmentInspired the Tunisian revolution leading to ouster of President Ben Ali and further revolutions of the Arab Spring. Died January 4, 2011.[141]
January 7, 2011 Hosni Kalaya 40  Tunisia Corruption in government Inspired by Bouazizi's self-immolation. Survived. [142]
January 16, 2011Venugopala Reddy20s IndiaFor statehood of TelanganaMCA student immolated himself near his university auditorium,died on the spot.[143]
January 16, 2011Mohsen Bouterfif AlgeriaUnemployment and housingInspired by Bouazizi's self-immolation in Tunisia.[144]
January 16, 2011 Bhavani18 IndiaFor statehood of Telangana[145]
January 17, 2011Yacoub Ould Dahoud43 MauritaniaPolitical situation in Mauritania[146]
January 23, 2011 Unnamed man 60s  Saudi Arabia Political situation in Saudi Arabia [147]
February 21, 2011Mustafa 40 IndiaFor statehood of Telangana[148]
March 16, 2011Rigzin Phuntsog21 TibetPolitical situation in TibetMonk of Kirti Monastery. In Ngaba, Amdo. Beaten by police before they extinguished the flames. Died in hospital.[149][150][151]
June 15, 2011Thomas James Ball58 United StatesFather's rights and family court injusticeSelf immolated on the steps of a family courthouse in New Hampshire. Died on the spot.[citation needed]
August 15, 2011Tsewang Norbu29 TibetPolitical situation in TibetMonk of Nyitso monastery in Kham Tawu. In Tawu. Died soon afterwards.[149][151][152]
August 28, 2011 Senkodi27 IndiaConvictions in the Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi caseA Tamil woman immolated herself in front of a tahsil office at Kanchipuram to protest death sentences of A. G. Perarivalan, V. Sriharan (alias Murugan), and T. Suthendraraja (alias Santhan). She died the same day.[153]
September 16, 2011Apostolos Polyzonis55 GreeceEuropean sovereign-debt crisisSelf-immolated in front of a bank in Thessaloniki.[154]
September 23, 2011 Andrzej Żydek 49  Poland Opposition to the Civic Platform government Occurred in front of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland. A letter to Donald Tusk was found attached to a bench in the park.[155][156]
September 26, 2011 Lobsang Kelsang 18  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba alongside Lobsang Kunchok. Survived but was imprisoned for 6 years[157][158]
September 26, 2011 Lobsang Kunchok 18 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba alongside Lobsang Kelsang. Survived with leg amputated and imprisoned for 6 years.[157][158]
October 3, 2011 Kelsang Wangchuk 17 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba. Status unknown.[157][158]
October 7, 2011 Khaying 18 Former monk turned nomad. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba alongside Choephel. Died the next day.[157][158]
October 7, 2011 Choephel 19 Former monk turned nomad. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba alongside Khaying. Died 4 days later.[157][158]
October 15, 2011 Norbu Dramdul 19 Former monk turned Nomad. Self-immolated on the streets of Ngaba. Died on January 5, 2012.[157]
October 17, 2011 Tenzin Wangmo 20 Nun from Mame Dechen Chokorling Nunnery in Ngaba. Self-immolated at the intersection of Sancta bridge and the nunnery. Died 10 minutes after at the scene.[157][158]
October 25, 2011 Dawa Tsering 38 Monk from Kandze Monastery. Self-immolated at the monastery. Status unknown but presumed dead.[158][159]
November 3, 2011 Palden Choetso 35 Nun from Geden Choeling Nunnery in Tawu. Self-immolated on the same exact spot Tsewang Norbu stood on 3 months prior. Whilst burning, she stood completely still whilst praying before she died.[160][158]
November 4, 2011 Sherab Tsedor 25 Self-immolated in front of Chinese embassy in New Delhi, India. Survived[161]
November 10, 2011 Bhutuk 40    Nepal Survived.[162]
December 1, 2011 Tenzin Phuntsok 46  Tibet Former monk turned farmer from Chamdo. Self-immolated in Chamdo. Died 5 days later.[163]
January 6, 2012 Tennyi 20 Former monk turned nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated at a hotel courtyard in Ngaba alongside Tsultrim. Died at the scene[164]
January 6, 2012 Tsultrim 20 Former monk turned nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated at a hotel courtyard in Ngaba alongside Tennyi. Died the day after[164]
January 8, 2012 Lama Sopa 42 Rinpoche from Darlag. Self-immolated at a hotel courtyard in Darlag. Died at the scene.[165]
January 14, 2012 Lobsang Jamyang 21 Former monk turned nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated in the middle of Ngaba. Died shortly after.[166]
February 8, 2012 Rigzin Dorjee 19 Former monk turned nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated near a school in Ngaba. Died at the scene.[167]
February 9, 2012 Sonam Rabyang 42 Monk from Lab Monastery in Tridu. Self-immolated on the main road of Tridu. Survived but both legs amputated.[168]
February 10, 2012 Tenzin Choedron 18 Nun from Mame Dechen Chokorling nunnery in Ngaba. Self-immolated near a temple. Died at the scene.[169]
February 13, 2012 Lobsang Gyatso 19 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba county. Survived but was imprisoned for 5 years.[170]
February 17, 2012 Damchoe Sangpo 38 Monk from Bongthak Monastery. Self-immolated at the monastery. Died at the scene.[171]
February 19, 2012 Nangdrol 18 Student from Dzamthang. Self-immolated in Dzamthang county. Died at the scene.[172]
March 3, 2012 Tsering Kyi 20 Student and nomad from Nyima. Self-immolated at a market in Nyima. Whilst Chinese merchants threw stones at her in disgust, she held her fist up representing unity and freedom. Died at the scene.[173]
March 4, 2012 Rinchen Kyi 32 Mother of 4 and herder from Ngaba. Self-immolated near the Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Died at the scene.[174]
March 5, 2012 Dorjee 18 Nomad from Chara. Self-immolated near a Chinese office in Chara. Died at the scene.[175]
March 10, 2012 Gepey 18 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated near a military camp in Ngaba. Died at the scene.[176]
March 14, 2012 Jamyang Palden 34 Monk from Rongpo Monastery in Rebkong. Self-immolated outside the Rongpo Monastery and lit himself on fire. Died on September 29.[177][174]
March 16, 2012 Lobsang Tsultrum 20 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Died 3 days after. Cousin of Norbu Damdrul who self-immolated on October 15, 2011.[174]
March 17, 2012Sonam Thargyal (Dargye, Dhargay)44 Farmer in Rebkong, Amdo. Died on the spot.[178][179][174]
March 24, 2012L Bhoja Naik21 IndiaFor statehood of TelanganaMBA student self-immolated in front of his college. Died on the spot.[180]
March 26, 2012Jamphel Yeshi27Political situation in TibetLayperson in Delhi. Died 2 days later in hospital.[181][182][174]
March 26, 2012Rajmouli40For statehood of Telangana[183][184]
March 26, 2012B.R. Goudn/a[183]
March 27, 2012 Pallavi17Died later in hospital.[185]
March 27, 2012Kalakanchi Ilaiah30Scrap dealer.[186]
March 28, 2012Lobsang Sherab20 TibetPolitical situation in TibetMonk of Kirti Monastery.[187] In Ngaba, Amdo. Died on the spot.[188][189][174]
March 28, 2012K Uppalaiah30 IndiaFor statehood of Telangana[190]
March 28, 2012Sripuram Srikanth23Died on March 30 at the Osmania General Hospital.[191]
March 30, 2012Tenpa Dhargyal (Darjey)22 TibetPolitical situation in TibetMonk of Tsodun monastery, Barkham, Amdo. Forcibly removed to hospital by Chinese security forces. Current status unknown.[192][193]
March 30, 2012Chimey Palden (Chime)21Monk of Tsodun monastery, Barkham, Amdo. Forcibly removed to hospital by Chinese security forces.[193][194] Died later that day around midnight.[195]
March 30, 2012Shyamapuri Shankar24 IndiaFor statehood of Telangana[196]
March 30, 2012Bandavath Suresh25Suffered 50% burns.[197]
April 6, 2012 Tulku Athup 47  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Rinpoche at his monastery. Self-immolated with his niece Atse at his home. Died at the scene.[198]
April 6, 2012 Atse 23 Nun from Seda Larung Wuming Tibetan Buddhist Institute in Tawu. Self-immolated with her uncle in Tawu at his home. Died at the scene[198]
April 19, 2012 Sonam 20's Student from Barma. Self-immolated in Barma with his cousin Choepak Kyab. Died at the scene.[199]
April 19, 2012 Choepak Kyab 20's Student from Barma. Self-immolated in Barma with his cousin Sonam. Died at the scene.[199]
May 27, 2012 Dorjee Tseten 19 Originally from Bora but was a waiter in Lhasa. Self-immolated in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa alongside Dhargye. Died at the scene.[200]
May 27, 2012 Dhargye 25 Originally from Ngaba but was a waiter in Lhasa. Self-immolated in front of the Potala palace in Lhasa alongside Dorjee Tseten. Died 41 days after the protest.[200]
May 30, 2012 Rikyo 33 Mother of 2 and nomad. Self-immolated near the Jonang Monastery in Dzamthang. Died at the scene.[201]
June 15, 2012 Tamding Thar 50's Nomad from Chentsa. Self-immolated near a police station in Chentsa. Died at the scene.[202]
June 20, 2012 Tenzin Khedup 24 Former monk turned nomad from Dzatoe. On a street in Dzatoe, Tenzin and Ngawang Norphel both waved the Tibetan flag and self-immolated. Died at the scene.[203][204]
June 20, 2012 Ngawang Norphel 22 Nomad and carpenter from Dzatoe. On a street in Dzatoe, Ngawang and Tenzin Khedup both waved the Tibetan flag and self-immolated. Died 40 days after his protest.[203][204]
June 27, 2012 Dickyi Choezom 40's Businesswoman and mother of 2 from Yulshul. Self-immolated at the Dhondupling monastery. Last reported to be hospitalized.[205]
July 7, 2012 Tsewang Dorjee 22 Nomad and vendor from Damshung. Self-immolated at a market in Damshung. Died later that night.[206]
July 14, 2012Moshe Silman57 IsraelSocial justice march in Tel AvivSocial justice activist, suffered 90% burns.[207] Died July 20 in hospital.[208]
July 16, 2012Zion Vaknin[209]46Social injustice protestAt Beersheba's city hall, in protest of debts.[210]
July 17, 2012 Lobsang Lozin 18  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Gedhun Tashi Choeling Monastery in Barkham. Self-immolated in front of a Chinese government building in front of the monastery. Reported to walk 100 steps before he died from his burns.[211]
July 18, 2012Valentina Gerasimovna57 RussiaA woman attempted to self-immolate at the public reception center of the ruling United Russia party in Novosibirsk. Earlier, she addressed the party's public reception center for legal advice as an apartment buyer.[212][213] Died in a hospital.[214]
July 20, 2012Akiva Mafi45 IsraelSocial injustice protestAkiva Mafi[215] (45) Disabled IDF veteran sets himself on fire in Yehud, on behalf of wounded veterans.[216][217] Died August 1, 2012.[218] New agency established to prevent more cases.
July 30, 2012Đặng Thị Kim Liêng64 VietnamAgainst 2011 crackdown on Vietnamese youth activists[219]Tạ Phong Tần's mother. Self-immolated in the early morning. Died en route to the hospital.[220]
August 6, 2012 Lobsang Tsultrim 21  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Kirti Monastery. Self-immolated on a street in Ngaba that is known as "Hero Street". Died later that night.[221]
August 7, 2012 Dolkar Kyi 26 Farmer and mother of 2. Self-immolated near the Tsoe Gaden Choeling Monastery in Kanlho. Died a few hours later.[222]
August 10, 2012 Choepa 24 Nomad from Meruma. Self-immolated on a road in Meruma. Died on the way to the hospital.[158][223]
August 13, 2012 Tashi 21 Former monk turned nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba with Lungtok. Died a few hours later.[158][224]
August 13, 2012 Lungtok 20 Monk from Kirti Monastery. Self-immolated in Ngaba on a road known as "Hero Street" with Tashi. Died a few hours later.[158][224]
August 27, 2012 Lobsang Kelsang 18 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immoalted near Kirti Monastery in Ngaba with Damchoe. Died later that night.[158][225]
August 27, 2012 Dhamchoe 17 Former monk turned Nomad in Ngaba. Younger brother of Tenzin Choedron who self-immolated on February 10, 2012. Self-immoalted near Kirti Monastery in Ngaba with Lobsang Kelsang. Died later that night.[158][225]
September 13, 2012 Passang Lhamo 62  China Retired government officer. Self-immolated in Beijing, China in front of the Ministry of housing and Urban-rural development. Status unknown.[158][226]
September 29, 2012 Yungdrung 29  Tibet Farmer from Dzatoe. Self-immolated near a Chinese government building in Dzatoe. Died the next day.[158][227]
October 4, 2012 Gudrub 43 Writer from Nangchu. Gone to exile in 2005 where he studied in Dharmsala where he returned to Tibet soon after. Known as "Youth of the Snow Realm" for his safety as his writings were about Tibets freedom. Self-immolated at a market in Nangchu. Died at the scene.[228]
October 6, 2012 Sangay Gyatso 26 Nomad from Tsoe. Self-immolated near Dokar Monastery. Died at the scene.[229]
October 13, 2012 Tamdrin Dorje 50's Nomad and grandfather of a rinpoche. Self-immolated near the Tsoe Monastery. Died at the scene.[230]
October 20, 2012 Lhamo Kyab 27 Farmer and nomad from Bora. Self-immolated near Bora temple. Died at the scene. Short film "Sons of Tibet" is based upon his life and his protest.[231]
October 23, 2012 Dhondup 60's Nomad from Labrang. Self-immolated at Labrang Monastery. Died at the scene.[232]
October 23, 2012 Dorjee Rinchen 58 Farmer and bread vendor from Labrang. Self-immolated near a police station in Labrang. Died a few hours after.[233]
October 25, 2012 Tsepo 20 Herder from Driru. Self-immolated near a Chinese government building with his cousin Tenzin. Status unknown.[234]
October 25, 2012 Tenzin 25 Herder from Driru. Self-immolated near a Chinese government building with his cousin Tsepo. Status unknown.[234]
October 26, 2012 Lhamo Tseten 24 Farmer and nomad from Sangchu. Self-immolated near a court in Sangchu. Died at the scene.[235]
October 26, 2012 Thubwang Gyab 23 Nomad and father of 2 from Sangchu. Self-immolated near a bus stop in Sangchu. Died at the scene.[236]
November 4, 2012 Dorjee Lhundrup 25 Thangka artist and father of 2 from Rebkong. Self-immolated near Rongwo monastery. Died at the scene.[237]
November 7, 2012 Dorjee 15 Monk from Ngoshul Monastery. Self-immolated in Ngaba with Samdup and Dorjee Kyab. Died at the scene.[238]
November 7, 2012 Samdup 16 Monk from Ngoshul Monastery. Self-immolated in Ngaba with Dorjee and Dorjee Kyab. Status unknown.[238]
November 7, 2012 Dorjee Kyab 16 Monk from Ngoshul Monastery. Self-immolated in Ngaba with Dorjee and Samdup. Status unknown.[238]
November 7, 2012 Tamding Tso 23 Nomad and mother of 1 from Rebkong. Self-immolated in Rebkong. Died at the scene[238]
November 7, 2012 Tsegyal 27 Nomad and father of 2. Self-immolated near the Bankar village. Died 11 days after as Chinese authorities had arrested him for his protest and refused to give him medical treatment.[238]
November 8, 2012 Kalsang Jinpa 18 Former monk turned Nomad from Rebkong. Self-immolated near the Rongwo Monastery. Died at the scene.[239]
November 10, 2012 Gonpo Tsering 19 Nomad from Tsoe. Self-immolated near the Lushoe Village in Tsoe. Died 2 hours after protest.[240]
November 12, 2012 Nyingkar Tashi 24 Nomad from Rebkong. Self-immolated in Rebkong. Died at the scene.[241]
November 12, 2012 Nyingchak Bum 18 Nomad from Rebkong. Self-immolated in the middle of Rebkong. Died at the scene.[241]
November 15, 2012 Khabum Gyal 18 Farmer and nomad from Rebkong. Self-immolated on a road known as Rongwo. Died at the scene.[242]
November 15, 2012 Tenzin Dolma 23 Farmer from Rebkong. Self-immolated at a temple in Rebkong. Died at the scene.[242]
November 16, 2012 David Alain 38  France Buddhist monk from England.
November 17, 2012 Sangdhak Tsering 24  Tibet Farmer and nomad from Tsekhog. Self-immolated in front of a Chinese government building. Died at the scene[243]
November 17, 2012 Chagmo Kyi 27 Mother of 2 and taxi driver. Self-immolated in front of an office building in Rebkong. Died at the scene.[243]
November 19, 2012 Wangchen Norbu 25 Farmer from Kangtsa. Self-immolated at the Kangtsa Gaden Choephelling Monastery. Died at the scene.[244]
November 20, 2012 Tsering Dhondup 34 Farmer, nomad, and father of 3 from Labrang. Self-immolated in front of a gold mine in Labrang. Died at the scene.[245]
November 22, 2012 Lubum Tsering 18 Nomad from Rebkong. Self-immolated at a popular street in Rebkong. Died at the scene.[246]
November 22, 2012 Tamdrin Kyab 23 Former monk turned nomad from Kanlho. Self-immolated near the Luchu river. Died at the scene.[247]
November 23, 2012 Tamdrin Dorjee 29 Herder from Tsekhog. Self-immolated near a Chinese government building in Tsekhog. Died at the scene.[248]
November 25, 2012 Sangay Dolma 17 Nun from Gonshul Nunnery in Tsekhog. Self-immolated near a Chinese government building in Tsekhog. Died at the scene.
November 26, 2012 Wangyal 18 Student from Sertha. Self-immolated near a golden horse statue in the center of Sertha.[249]
November 26, 2012 Kunchok Tsering 18 Nomad from Labrang. Self-immolated in front of a gold mine in Labrang. Died at the scene[249]
November 26, 2012 Gonpo Tsering 24 Nomad and father of 3 from Luchu. Self-immolated at the Ala Deu-go monastery in Luchu. Died at the scene.[249]
November 27, 2012 Kalsang Kyab 24 Nomad from Dzoge. Self-immolated in front of a Chinese government building. Died at the scene.[250]
November 27, 2012 Sangay Tashi 18 Nomad from Sangkhog. Self-immolated in front of a Chinese government building in Sangkhog. Died at the scene.[251]
November 28, 2012 Wande Khar 21 Nomad from Tsoe. Self-immolated in Tsoe county. Died at the scene.[252]
November 29, 2012 Tsering Namgyal 31 Nomad, farmer, and father of 2 from Luchu. Self-immolated in front of a Chinese government building in Luchu. Died at the scene.[252]
November 30, 2012 Kunchok Kyab 29 Nomad and father of 2 from Ngaba. Self-immolated at a gas station in Ngaba. Died at the scene.[253]
December 2, 2012 Sangdag Kyab 17 Nomad and father of 1 from Bora. Self-immolated at Bora Temple. Survived with both legs amputated and imprisoned for 2 years.[158][254]
December 3, 2012 Lobsang Gedhun 29 Monk from Penag Monastery in Pema. Self-immolated on the streets of Pema and reported to have walked 300 steps before passing away from the burns.[255]
December 8, 2012 Pema Dorjee 23 Nomad from Luchu. Self-immolated at Shitsang Monastery. Died at the scene.[256]
December 8, 2012 Kunchok Phelgye 24 Monk from Sumdo Monastery in Dzoege. Self-immolated at the monastery. Died at the scene.[256]
December 9, 2012 Wangchen Kyi 17 Student from Tsekhong. Self-immolated at her village in Tsekhong. Died at the scene.[257]
January 12, 2013 Tsering Tashi 22 Nomad from Amchok. Self-immolated in Amchok town. Died at the scene.[258][259]
January 18, 2013 Dupchok 28 Nomad from Ngaba. Self-immolated near a police station. Died at the scene.[260]
January 22, 2013 Kunchok Kyab 26 Farmer and nomad from Bora. Self-immolated near the Bora Monastery. Died at the scene.[261]
February 3, 2013 Lobsang Namgyal 37 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Dzoge. Died at the scene.[262]
February 13, 2013 Drukpa Khar 26 Nomad and father of 3 from Amchok. Self-immolated in Amchok. Died at the scene.[263]
February 13, 2013 Drupchen Tsering 25    Nepal Rinpoche who arrived a month prior in Kathmandu. Self-immolated at the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. Died later that day.[264]
February 17, 2013 Namlha Tsering 49  Tibet Farmer and nomad from Labrang. Sat on a busy street in Labrang where he lit himself on fire. Died at the scene of his protest.[265]
February 18, 2013Trayan Marechkov26 BulgariaPart of the 2013 Bulgarian protestsDied on the spot, at a central crossroads, in front of the central office of a private bank in Veliko Tarnovo.[266][267]
February 19, 2012 Rinchen 17  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Student from Dzoge. Self-immolated at Dzoge with Sonam Dhargyal. Died at the scene.[268]
February 19, 2013 Sonam Dhargyal 18 Student from Dzoge. Self-immolated at Dzoge with Rinchen. Died at the scene.[268]
February 20, 2013Plamen Goranov36  BulgariaPart of the 2013 Bulgarian protests against the Borisov cabinetProtested corruption and monopolies,[269] and demanded the resignation of Varna's mayor Kiril Yordanov and the Municipal Council.[270] Mountain climber and photographer. Set himself alight in front of the Varna municipality. Died 11 days later in hospital.[271][272]
February 24, 2013 Phagmo Dhondup 24  Tibet Political situation in Tibet farmer from Tsapon. Self-immolated at the Chachung Monastery in Tsapon. Died a few hours later.[273]
February 24, 2013 Tsesung Kyab 20s Farmer and nomad from Luchu. Self-immolated at the Shistang Monastery. Died at the scene of his protest. His cousin Pema Dorjee self-immolated 2 months prior on December 8, 2012, at the same monastery.[274][275]
February 25, 2013 Sangdag unknown Monk from Diphu Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated on a road in Ngaba. Status unknown.[276]
February 26, 2013Ventzislav Vasilev53  BulgariaPart of the 2013 Bulgarian protestsFather of five.[277] Set himself on fire in Radnevo. Died in hospital two weeks later.
March 13, 2013 Kunchok Wangmo 30's  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Housewife and mother of 1 from Dzoge. Self-immolated in Dzoge. Died at the scene.[278]
March 13, 2013Dimitar Dimitrov51  Bulgaria Part of the 2013 Bulgarian protestsSet himself on fire in front of the Presidential Palace in Sofia. Hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.[279][280]
March 16, 2013 Lobsang Thogmey 28  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Kirti Monastery. Self-immolated at the monastery. Died after being taken to hospital.[281]
March 20, 2013Todor Yovchev40  Bulgaria Part of the 2013 Bulgarian protestsDied on March 22[282]
March 24, 2013 Kalkyi 30  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nomad and mother of 4 from Dzamthang. Self-immolated at the Jonang Monastery. Died at the scene[283]
March 25, 2013 Lhamo Kyab 43 Forest keeper from Sangchu. Gathered a pile of logs, poured kerosene on the pile and himself. Proceeded to light the pile alight and then placed himself on top. Died at the scene[284]
March 26, 2013 Kunchok Tenzin 28 Monk from Mokri Monastery in Luchu. Self-immolated at the monastery. Died at scene.[285]
April 16, 2013 Jugtso 20 Mother of 1 from Dzamthang. Self-immolated near the Jonang Monastery in Dzamthang. Died at the scene.[286]
April 24, 2013 Lobsang Dawa 20 Monk from Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in Dzorge county. Self-immolated alongside Kunchok Woeser at the monastery. Died at the scene.[287]
April 24, 2013 Kunchok Woeser 23 Monk from Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in Dzorge county. Self-immolated alongside Lobsang Dawa at the monastery. Died at the scene.[287]
May 27, 2013 Tenzin Sherab 30 Nomad from Yushu. Self-immolated near the Gyaring area of Yushu. Died at the scene.[288]
May 24, 2013Bowatte Indarathana30 Sri LankaAgainst the slaughtering of cattle and alleged conversion of Buddhists to minority religions in Sri Lanka[289]
June 11, 2013 Wangchen Dolma 31  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nun from Yushu. Self-immolated outside Nyatso monastery in Yushu. Died on June 14, 2013.[290]
June 12, 2013 Andrzej Filipiak 56  Poland Unemployed receiving no help from the state Occurred across the street from the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland[291][292][293]
July 20, 2013 Kunchok Sonam 18  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Thangkor Sogtsang Monastery in Dzoge. Self-immolated at his monastery. Died at the scene.[294]
August 6, 2013 Karma Ngedon Gyatso 38    Nepal Monk from Yangpachen Monastery in Damshung, Tibet until Chinese authorities expelled him due to him being disabled. Arrived in Nepal in 2011. Self-immolated in Kathmandu at the Boudhanath Stupa. Died an hour after.[295]
September 28, 2013 Shichung 41  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Farmer, tailor, and father of 2 from Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Died at the scene[296]
November 11, 2013 Tsering Gyal 20 Monk from Akyong Monastery in Pema. Self-immolated in Pema county where he ran 10-12 yards towards a government building. Died later that day.[297]
December 3, 2013 Kunchok Tseten 30 Nomad and father of 2 from Meruma in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba, died at the scene.[298]
December 19, 2013 Tsultrim Gyatso 44 Monk from Amchok Monastery. Set himself on fire in Amchok, died at the scene[299]
February 5, 2014 Phagmo Samdrup 27 Father of 2 and tantric practitioner from Tsekhog. Self-immolated near a school. Died a day after.[300]
February 13, 2014 Lobsang Dorjee 25 Car wash owner from Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Died 2 days later.[301]
March 16, 2014 Jigme Tenzin 29 Monk from Sonag Monastery in Rebkong. Self-immolated outside Sonag Monastery, died at the scene.[302]
March 16, 2014 Lobsang Palden 23 Monk from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Died 5 days after.[302]
March 29, 2014 Dolma 29 Nun from Kardze. Set herself on fire near Ba Choede Monastery in Kardze. Status unknown.[303]
April 15, 2014 Thinley Namgyal 32 Nomad and farmer. Set himself on fire in Kardze. Died at the scene.[304]
May 23, 2014 Le Thi Tuyet Mai 67  Vietnam Chinese deployment of a giant oil rig in Vietnam. Deputy head of executive committee of the Buddhist Youth movement in Ho Chi Minh City. Self-immolated at 5:30 am, died at the scene. Left banners saying "The Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam will survive side by side with the Vietnamese people! All together against Chinese invasion! I offer my body as a torch to light the path of all patriots! Support the Declaration of UBCV Patriarch Thich Quang Do to oppose China's invasion of Vietnamese waters and lands."[305]
June 20, 2014Thu Hoang71 United StatesIn apparent response to the Hai Yang Shi You 981 standoffApparent protest by a Vietnamese man of a Chinese state-owned oil rig being placed into waters contested by Vietnam in the South China Sea[306]
June 23, 2014Charles R. Moore79Social injustice[307]Set himself alight in a strip mall parking lot, died upon arrival at hospital.
September 16, 2014 Kunchok 42  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Set self on fire in front of a police station. Believed to have died shortly after protest.[308]
September 17, 2014 Lhamo Tashi 22 Student from Amchok. Previously involved in the 2008 Tibetan unrest. set himself on fire in Tsoe City. Died at the scene[309]
December 16, 2014 Sangye Khar 33 Nomad and father of 2. Set himself on fire near a police station and died at the scene after walking a few steps while on fire.[310]
December 22, 2014 Tsepey 19 Nomad from Meruma. Set herself on fire near a market in Ngaba. Died at the scene.[311]
December 23, 2014 Kalsang Yeshi 37 Monk from Nyitso Monastery in Tawu. Set himself on fire near his monastery and a police station. Died at the scene. Left a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the caption "The Six Million Tibetans are waiting for you."[312]
March 5, 2015 Norchuk 47 Nomad and mother of 3. Set herself on fire at her village. Died at the scene[313]
March 14, 2015Younes Asakere34 IranDiscrimination of Ahwazi ArabsSelf-immolated after local authorities confiscated his vendor stall in Khorramshahr. Died on March 22.[314] Inspired a mass protest which resulted in arrests of some 1,000 people and further self-immolations.[315]
April 8, 2015 Yeshi Khandro 47  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nun in Kardze. Set herself on fire near a police station calling for the freedom in Tibet and the long life and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tibet. Died shortly afterwards.[316]
April 15, 2015 Neykyab 45 Father of 7 from Ngaba. Set himself on fire at his home and died at the scene. His brother in law Dhargye set himself on fire on May 27, 2012.[317]
May 20, 2015 Tenzin Gyatso 35 Father of 4 from Tawu. Self-immolated in front of a government building, died shortly after.[318]
May 27, 2015 Sangye Tso 36 Business owner and mother of 2. Set herself on fire in front of a government office in Tsoe. died at the scene. left a note saying "Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where is the panchen lama, and freedom for Tibetans![319]
July 9, 2015 Sonam Topgyal 26 monk from Nangchen county. Came to Kyegydo and set himself on fire in Gesar square. Died the following day. Left behind a note calling for the freedom of Tibet[320]
August 12, 2015Choi Yeon-yeol80 South KoreaJapanese colonization of Korea and military conduct during World War II[321]Set himself on fire in a flower bed near the Japanese embassy in Seoul during an anti-Japan protest by "comfort women" (survivors of World War II Japanese military brothels). Injuries sustained were not life-threatening. Condition Pending.[322]
August 27, 2015 Tashi Kyi 55  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Mother of 5. Self-immolated near her house in Sangchu and died at the scene. Her nephew Sangay Tashi self-immolated on November 27, 2012.[323]
September 17, 2015 Shurmo 26 Self-immolated at a bus stop. Protest was hidden for 5 years by the Chinese government.[324]
October 18, 2015 Khodayar Amini 30  Australia Australian refugee policy Self-immolated in Melbourne during a video call to his advocates.[325]
October 24, 2015 Erlan Bektibaev 20  Kazakhstan Social injustice Doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire on October 24 in front of the Taraz headquarters of the ruling party Nur Otan (now since 2022 Amanat) in Taraz. Bektibayev was rushed to hospital, but later died of his burns.[326]
November 13, 2015 S. Erdene  Mongolia Protest of coal mine being sold to China as well as employees being laid off by the government Coal mine union leader. Called for a press conference where he doused himself with an accelerant and proceeded to set himself on fire. Suffered burns on 40% of his body.[327]
February 29, 2016 Dorjee Tsering 16  India Political situation in Tibet Died 3 days later in a New Delhi hospital. American presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held up his photograph while speaking to a Tibetan advocacy group.[328]
February 29, 2016 Kalsang Wangdu 18  Tibet Political situation in Tibet monk in Kardze. Self-immolated calling for Tibet's independence. Died on the way to the hospital.[329]
March 19, 2016Charles Ingram51 United StatesCorruption at the United States Department of Veterans AffairsMilitary veteran walked nine miles to a military veteran hospital before self-immolated in the hospital's parking lot.[330]
March 23, 2016 Sonam Tso 50s  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Mother of 5. Self-immolated at Sera Monastery. Died at the scene.[331]
April 27, 2016Omid Masoumali23 NauruAustralian refugee policyIranian refugee self-immolated at an Australian refugee detention camp during a visit to the camp by representatives of a UNHCR fundraising arm (Australia for UNHCR) who told the refugees to expect to remain on Nauru for "another ten years".[332] After more than 24 hours without adequate medical attention he was airlifted by private contractor to Brisbane, Australia where he died on 29 April 2016 from his burns.[333]
May 2, 2016Hodan Yasi21In an Australian refugee detention camp. Woman from Somalia (variously referred to as Hadon/Hodan and Yasin/Yasi) was airlifted from Nauru to Brisbane[334] but her condition as at late May 2016 is shrouded in secrecy. It seems she may still be alive, since her death would have to be reported under Queensland Law and an inquest into her death held as she would be deemed to be a "Death in Custody" had she died.[citation needed]
December 8, 2016 Tashi Rabten 33  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nomad and father of 3. Self-immolated in Machu, died at the scene after taking a few steps while on fire. His younger cousin Tsering Kyi also self-immolated on March 3, 2012.[335]
February 11, 2017 Unknown man unknown  Sudan Protest against Omar Al-Bashir Shouted "I am Sudanese and Bashir is a dictator!" before setting himself on fire. Reported to survive [336]
March 18, 2017 Pema Gyaltsen 24  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Farmer from Nyarong. Shouted that Tibet had no freedom and for His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet while on fire. Status unknown[337]
April 15, 2017 Wangchuk Tseten 30 Layman and father of 3. Self-immolated in Kardze. Status unknown but likely deceased[337]
May 2, 2017 Chakdor Kyab 16 Farmer and student from Bora. Self-immolated on Bora monastery shouting "Tibet wants freedom! Let His Holiness the Dalai Lama come back to Tibet! Victory to the Gods!" Status unknown[338]
May 18, 2017 Jamyang Losal 24 Monk from Chentsa. Self-immolated near a concert. Died soon afterwards.[339]
May 19, 2017 Unknown 54  Germany Islamization of Germany Died in hospital. Police said the man had scrawled slogans on his car along the lines of "Never again war on German soil" and "Amri is only the tip of the iceberg" — a reference to Anis Amri, the Tunisian who attacked a Christmas market in Berlin and whom authorities had previously been unable to deport.[340]
July 15, 2017 Tenzin Choeying 20  India Political situation in Tibet Suffered 50% burns. Died nine days later from his injuries.[341]
July 29, 2017 Pasang Dhondup 49 Died in Dharamshala[342]
September 21, 2017 Zdenek Hanzlik 60  New Zealand Family Court Injustices Zdenek "Sid" Hanzlik self-immolated outside the New Zealand Parliament Buildings protesting injustices in the Family Court, where he was engaged in an ongoing legal battle relating to access to his children. He was taken to Wellington Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.[343]
October 19, 2017 Piotr Szczęsny 54  Poland Rule of Law and Justice political party Leaflets[344][345] were strewn around him on the ground outside of the Palace of Culture and Science, and a speaker was broadcasting a song by a 1990s Polish rock band titled "I love freedom".[346][347][348]
November 26, 2017 Tenga 63  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Respected monk from Kardze. Shouted "We want freedom in Tibet!" before self-immolating. Died shortly after. His picture was shown by Hollywood actor Richard Gere during a conference[349]
December 23, 2017 Konpe 30 Former monk turned nomad. Self-immolated in Ngaba and died the following day.[350]
January 15, 2018 Dmitry Rudov 39  Russia Corruption of government After being sacked from Gazprom's subsidiary and unsuccessfully appealing to President Putin, he set himself on fire in front of Ishimbay's City Hall in Bashkortostan. Died in hospital the next day.[351]
March 7, 2018 Tsekho Tugchak 44  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nomad in Ngaba. 2 brothers were tortured and killed by the Chinese police for participating in the 2008 Tibetan unrest. Tsekho set himself on fire after shouting slogans and died at the scene.[352]
April 14, 2018 David Buckel 60  United States Climate change and pollution[353]

In a note sent to The New York Times and other news outlets, along with a copy attached to a shopping cart near his body he stated fossil fuel use and the environmental destruction it causes as the reason he decided to end his life by self-immolation with fossil fuels. Buckel was a prominent lawyer for gay rights, and was involved in environmental causes.[354][355][356]

May 20, 2018 Fathi Harb 20  Palestine Economic situation in Gaza Died on May 23.[357][358]
June 20, 2018 Chloe Sagal 31  United States Homelessness and mental health issues Several days after threatening self-harm with a machete, Sagal walked into a downtown Oregon Park, read a statement regarding homelessness and mental health before covering herself with fluid and setting herself alight.[359]
June 26, 2018John Watts58Corruption at the United States Department of Veterans AffairsMilitary veteran self-immolated on the steps of the Georgia state Capitol to protest corruption at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.[360]
August 3, 2018 Vatan Karabash 47–48 Crimea (disputed) Russian annexation of Crimea and repressions of the Crimean Tatars Karabash set himself on fire in public, declaring Russia policies to be lawless; he had previously expressed anger at plans for demolition of Crimean Tatar houses in Russian-annexed Crimea, which had been deemed "illegal" since they were built before deported Crimean Tatars were permitted to return. Bystanders put out the flames and the injuries were reported to be non-fatal.[361]
August 15, 2018 Unknown 50s  United Kingdom Homelessness A woman in her fifties (later identified under the pseudonym "Melanie Smith"), under threat of eviction and suffering from mental health issues set herself on fire at the housing office of Barnet London Borough Council. She died in intensive care several months later, with council employees reportedly having been ordered not to discuss the incident with journalists.[362]
September 19, 2018 Nicholas McCrary 29  United States Involuntary celibacy and mental health McCrary was a prolific YouTuber who had autism and whose videos were popular with "blackcels" (black incels). He also used the pseudonym Baraka Mckray, and accused black women of being "prejudiced" against autistic men such as himself.[363][364]
September 27, 2018 Umit Acar 26  Germany Against the imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan Self-immolated in Ingolstadt, as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was to visit Germany.[365]
November 4, 2018 Dopo 23  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Nomad in Ngaba. Shouted "May His Holiness the Dalai Lama live long! May we soon behold his golden countenance!" and set self ablaze after. Died at the scene[366]
November 28, 2018 Mahsun Özen 21  Turkey Treatment of Kurds in Turkey Self-immolated on the anniversary of the Roboski airstrike in which 34 Kurds died[367]
December 8, 2018 Drugko 22  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Former monk turned nomad. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Status unknown.[368]
December 9, 2018 Gedhun Gyatso 16 Monk in Ngaba. Self-immolated in Ngaba, died shortly afterwards[369]
December 24, 2018 Abdel Razaq Zorgi 32  Tunisia Unemployment and economic situation in Tunisia Journalist based in Kasserine. Made a video minutes before protest where he urged called for the unemployed to revolt. Died the same day after taken to a hospital.[citation needed]
January 18, 2019 Unknown 54  Czech Republic In memory of Jan Palach who burned himself to death in 1969, protesting the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia Suffered 30% burns after setting himself on fire at the central Wenceslas Square of Prague on the 50th anniversary of Jan Palach's death from his self-immolation protest against the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. According to Czech authorities, "he said it was only a remembrance to Jan Palach".[370]
February 20, 2019 Uğur Şakar 43  Germany Against the imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan Self-immolated in front of the Court in Krefeld, Germany;[371] died in hospital a month later [372]
May 29, 2019 Arnav Gupta 33  United States Unknown An Indian-origin resident of Bethesda, Maryland died in hospital that day after setting himself on fire near the White House in Washington, D.C. while wearing a USA T-shirt. The Washington Post described his actions as "an unmistakable protest, the loudest, most spectacular cry that people in pain can come up with".[373]
July 19, 2019 Kim (surname) 78  South Korea A man used 20 liters of fuel to set himself on fire in his car in the early morning outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul. He died several hours later in the hospital.[374]
September 9, 2019 Sahar Khodayari 29  Iran The right for women in Iran to attend a football match alongside men The Iranian female football fan died that day, one week after setting herself on fire outside an Iranian court, reportedly after learning she may have to serve a six-month sentence for trying to enter a football stadium (alongside men).[375]
September 10, 2019 Albert Razin 79  Russia The declining status and use of the Udmurt language in Russia. The scholar and activist set himself on fire outside the State Council building in Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic, as the regional government was considering passing a bill to reduce the status of the indigenous Udmurt language in the republic. Razin died the same day.[376][377]
October 23, 2019 Ali Wazir 31   Switzerland In protest of the Turkish invasion of Syria A Syrian Kurdish man set himself on fire in front of the seat of the UNHCR in Geneva.[378]
November 10, 2019 Anas K. 22  France Student living costs, fascism, neoliberalism A 22-year-old man enrolled at Lyon 2 University set himself on fire in front of a university restaurant in response to being unable to sustain himself on €450 a month. In a post on Facebook, he blamed Emmanuel Macron, François Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy and the EU for having "killed" him, and also attacked Marine Le Pen and media figures for creating fear, also urging readers to "Fight against the rise of fascism which divides us, and against liberalism which creates inequalities". He was admitted to hospital with 90% burns over his body.[379][380]
November 26, 2019 Yonten 24  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Tibetan nomad. Formerly monk at Kirti Monastery. Self-immolated in Ngaba. Died at the scene[381]
Close

2020s

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name Age Country ProtestingNotes and references
February 7, 2020 Adem Yarıcı 42  Turkey Unemployment in Turkey 42-year-old unemployed man, father of two, set himself on fire in front of Hatay governor's office. Witnesses said that he shouted "My kids are hungry!" before setting himself ablaze. He died on the same day. The governor claimed that Yarıcı divorced from his wife a while ago, had mental illness and attempt to self-immolate before.[382][383][384]
June 16, 2020 Unknown 48  Poland Unknown; reportedly said there is "no justice" to police at the scene A 48-year-old man set himself on fire shortly after talking to journalists outside of the Sejm building in Warsaw, Poland.[385]
July 18, 2020 Linda J. Zhang 18  United States Protesting climate change inaction[386] High school student from New York self-immolated and died from injuries. A climate activist who left an op-ed to the New York Times before she died.[386]
July 27, 2020 Arie den Dekker 54  Netherlands Murder witness, removed from family, turned homeless Den Dekker had witnessed a murder in 2018. Following this, his house was torched multiple times and he was put into a witness protection program. Unable to be with his family and having his pleas ignored by the municipality and the government, Den Dekker protested in front of Oss' city hall multiple times, throwing dead fish inside, dousing himself in cow feces and committing other acts of despair on multiple occasions. On July 27 he committed suicide by self-immolation in front of the city hall.[387]
August 3, 2020 Yavuz Polat 46  Turkey Economical issues A 47-year-old street vendor from Erzincan set himself on fire after the police wanted him to remove his corn stall. He died on August 27.[388][389]
August 4, 2020 Anastasia Niklas 24  Ukraine Unknown 24-year-old Anastasia Niklas lit herself on fire in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, outside a Catholic church in the center of the city.[390] According to a security guard who was on duty, the woman arrived around 4:00 am, doused herself with gasoline, and lit herself on fire. Her motives remain unknown, she died on the spot.[391]
August 14, 2020 Fikret Güven  Turkey Economical issues A tea maker set himself on fire in front of the Bursa governorship after the police closed the roads to his shop.

[392][393]

September 18, 2020 Syarhei Radchenya 36 Belarus Belarus Fraudulent election and follow-on police abuse and brutality against protests in Belarus. 36-year-old Syarhei Radchenya set himself on fire in Smalavichy, Belarus, near the local police department. According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Syarhei poured gasoline over himself from a canister and set it on fire after which an employee ran out of the district department building and put out the fire. Syarhei was hospitalized in critical condition with burns on 84% of his body surface, including the respiratory tract. He died on September 25, 2020, as a result of his injuries.[394]
October 2, 2020 Irina Slavina 47 Russia Russia Journalist; her apartment was searched the day before by the police alleging her ties to the Open Russia group Russian journalist Irina Slavina set herself on fire in front of the Interior Ministry office in Nizhniy Novgorod. She died there of the resulting burns.[395][396]
November 2, 2020 Leroy Archie Ponpon  Liberia Chief Justice refusing months of salary for workers Led several protests prior to self-immolation date. Survived.[397]
January 11, 2021 Liu Jin 48  China Employers refusing to make payment as well as fair treatment for delivery workers Delivery worker in Taizhou. Asked for payment from employers but was denied. Set fire shortly afterwards. Died soon after.[398]
February 12, 2021 Halil S. 49  Germany Against the detention conditions of Abdullah Öcalan He set himself on fire in front of the Landtag in Dresden. Died soon after.[399][400]
April 12, 2021 Itzik Saidyan [he] 26  Israel Government treatment of disabled veterans He set himself on fire in front of the Defense Ministry's rehabilitation department offices in Petah Tikva that handles the rehabilitation of injured soldiers,[401] two days before the annual Memorial Day. Saidyan fought in the 2014 war in Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.[402]
May 18, 2021 Behzad Mahmoudi 25  Iraq Poor treatment and living conditions of refugees Asylum seeker from Iran. Self-immolated in front of journalists. Died on May 23, 2021.[403]
September 14, 2021 Ella Nik Bayan 40  Germany Transphobia and treatment of immigrants 40 year old trans woman who burned herself publicly in Alexanderplatz square, Berlin. Ella had immigrated from Iran years earlier.[404]
January 1, 2022 Unknown  Australia Vaccine ID and mandates He set himself on fire on Church St. in Richmond, Victoria, sustaining life-threatening injuries. The man was stopped by paramedics and police.[405][406]
January 31, 2022 Unknown 33  Italy Unknown Man of unknown identity set himself on fire in front of a Carabinieri barrack Rende, Calabria, sustaining life-threatening injuries and burns to 70% of his body. Local police and man's family confirm man was twice vaccinated and self-immolation was not due to the vaccine mandate. He was a teacher.

[407][408][409]

February 25, 2022 Tsewang Norbu 25  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Popular Tibetan singer from Nangchu. Self-immolated in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Died in the hospital a few days later.
March 27, 2022 Taphun 81 Nomad from Meruma nomadic village in Ngaba. Self-immolated in front of a police station near Kirti Monastery. Died a few hours after.[410][411]
March 30, 2022 Tsering Samdup Self-immolated near a monastery in Kyegudo. Status unknown.[412]
April 22, 2022 Wynn Bruce 54  United States Protesting climate change inaction[413] Man from Boulder, Colorado self-immolated in front of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. Died from injuries.[414] Described himself as a Buddhist and climate activist.[413]
May 18, 2022 Krishanpal 52  India Police inaction He set himself ablaze outside an SSP office alleging police inaction over a complaint he filed against some people for destroying his crops.[415][416]
June, 2022 Unknown monk  Tibet Political situation in Tibet Monk from Kanhlo prefecture in Gansu. Self-immolated in front of a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Died at the scene.[417]
September 21, 2022 Unknown 70s  Japan Funeral of Shinzo Abe A man in his 70s set himself on fire near the Prime Minister's Official Residence in protest of the decision to hold an official state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.[418]
January 24, 2023 Prem Prasad Acharya 37    Nepal Corruption in Nepal as well as his unsuccessful business career Died 3 days after.[419]
January 31, 2023 Unknown 58  Brazil Supreme Federal Court The 58-year-old native of Botucatu, São Paulo set fire to his own body in the central median of the Esplanade of the Ministries and shouted against Alexandre de Moraes, saying "morte ao Xandão" (lit.'death to Xandão'). Alongside the man, papers with photos of Johann Georg Elser, Nelson Mandela, and Claus von Stauffenberg were found; all images were accompanied by the phrase "perdeu, mané [pt]" (lit.'you lost, dude'), previously used by Luís Roberto Barroso.[420] He remained hospitalized for two days and died on 2 February.[421]
March 1, 2023 Chet Bohrer 42  United States Bullying and mental health 42 year old resident of Salt Lake City, Utah set himself on fire at Bancroft Way and Telegraph Ave on the UC Berkeley campus. He had no known affiliation with the university. Bohrer died in the hospital from his injuries days later. He claimed to have been bullied and spied on by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.[422]
March 27, 2023 Ahmed Jaouad 61  Morocco Precarity, insufficient pension fund A Moroccan playwright died six days after setting himself on fire following a failed hunger strike in hopes of raising his pension fund from his thirty years of service at the Moroccan Ministry of Culture which was insufficient to provide for his family.[423][424] Jaouad's wife and children were awarded financial compensation by the ministry after his death.[425][424]
April 13, 2023 Nizar Issaoui 35  Tunisia Human rights in Tunisia, Anti-police sentiment A local Tunisian footballer died after setting himself on fire in what he said was a protest against Tunisia's "police state".[426] During his funeral, demonstrators started throwing stones at police, who retaliated with tear gas.[427]
May 1, 2023 Yang Hoe-dong  South Korea Union violations as well as charges he received as a Union activist Popular labour rights activist. Self immolated in front of a courthouse, deceased.[428]
May 24, 2023 DeAndre Gordon  United States Protest of racism and corruption at Red Onion prison Prisoner at the Red Onion prison in Virginia. Set a fire in his cell due to mistreatment and beatings he received from prison guards. Survived.[429]
May 21, 2023 Karl-Udson Azor 30  Haiti Unknown Self-immolated in front of the Vertieres Monument. Died at the scene with Haitian flag next to him.[430]
August 1, 2023 Bar Kalaf 33  Israel The Defense Ministry denying him disability status Kalaf served in the Israeli Defense Force from 2008 to 2011 and saw combat in Operation Protective Edge as a reservist, where he claimed he developed post-traumatic stress disorder. The Defense Ministry rejected his application for disability status, stating he had a mental disorder unrelated to his military duties. Kalaf self-immolated in his home and afterwards was rushed to Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan where he died.[431][432]
August 17, 2023 Robert Gituhu 28  Kenya Unemployment and Poverty in Kenya and high cost in food Graduated with Engineer degree. Climbed statue in Mobasa and self-immolated. Died several hours after 80% burns on body.[433]
November 8, 2023 Unknown male  DRC Protest of the genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Congolese man set himself on fire to protest the ongoing genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The video, which was posted on Twitter on November 8, 2023, shows the man, who has not been identified, standing in front of a crowd in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, holding a sign that reads "Stop the genocide in Congo".[434]
April 19, 2024 Maxwell Azzarello 37  United States Protest against the US Government A 37-year-old man from St. Augustine, Florida self-immolated outside of the New York courthouse where jurors were being chosen for the New York State criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump[435][436][437][438] after posting an anti-government manifesto online.[439]
December 1, 2023 Unknown female  United States Protest against United States support for Israel in the Gaza war Protester self-immolated outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia; following what officials described as "an act of extreme political protest", a Palestinian national flag was recovered at the scene.[440][441][442]
February 25, 2024 Aaron Bushnell 25 The active-duty US Airman self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.[443][444]
September 11, 2024 Matt Nelson 45 A protestor self-immolated outside the Boston, Massachusetts Israeli Consulate. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital afterwards. Died in hospital 4 days later.[445][446][447]
October 5, 2024 Samuel Mena Jr 29 Photojournalist for KTVK from Phoenix, Arizona. Attempted self-immolating in Washington DC in front of the White House. Set arm on fire but flames quickly doused by protesters. Taken to hospital with burns on arms.[448][449]
April 9, 2024 Yassine Selmi 22  Tunisia Protest against police Construction worker. Resolved a fight between the police and 2 unidentified people where police threatened him with arrest. He set himself on fire over the police threats. Died 2 days later.
May 1, 2024 Ruslan Palitsyn 24  Russia Protest of army enlistment during the Russian invasion of Ukraine Ruslan was an actor. He lit himself on fire outside a Russian military registration in St Petersburg where he suffered 90% burns. He died the day after.[450]
July 26, 2024 Vladimir Arsenyev 74  Russia Unknown President of Volna Central Research Institute for Russia's Defense Ministry. Walked to Lenin Mausoleum in the center of Red Square and set himself on fire. Suffered minor burns and survived.[451]
August 23, 2024 Demetrius Wallace 27  United States Protest against corruption and illegal retaliation from prison staff Prisoner at Red Onion prison. Filed a lawsuit on the prison after he was attacked by prison officials where they retaliated. He soon set himself on fire in his cell receiving burns on his foot. Survived.[429]
August 28, 2024 Mano Yogalingam 23  Australia Protest on asylum seeker bridging visas. Yogalingam was a Tamil asylum seeker who self-immolated in Melbourne's south-east after attending a majority of the protests being held outside the Department of Home Affairs.[452]
September 15, 2024 Ekong Eshiet 28  United States Protest against religious violations isolation, racism, and brutality against prison inmates Ekong and Trayvon were both inmates at Red Onion State Prison in Virginia. On September 15, both men set themselves on fire in solitary confinement making these demands and suffered third degree burns and were transferred to University of Virginia. Ekong appeared on a PrisonRadio show where he revealed his reasons why he self-immolated and that he had begun a hunger strike but other prison inmates also began a hunger strike.[453]
September 15, 2024 Trayvon Brown  United States Protest against isolation, racism, and brutality against prison inmates Ekong and Trayvon were both inmates at Red Onion State Prison in Virginia. On September 15, both men set themselves on fire in solitary confinement making these demands and suffered third degree burns and were transferred to University of Virginia.[453]
October 18, 2024 Unknown 56  Chile Protest against the government for a case of unlawful coercion against him A 56-year-old man attempted self-immolation outside of the Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Santiago, Chile. Flames where quickly doused by Carabineros, and the man was taken to hospital with burns on his neck.[454]
December 31, 2024 Sunil 35  India Police harassment Rickshaw driver who was harassed by police officers. Burned himself at his home. Died 7 days later.[455]
January 3, 2025 Raju Patel 25  India Protest of hazardous waste to Pithampur for incineration Both men were present at a protest with dozens of other people. They were seen dousing themselves with an accelerant and lighting themselves on fire. Both are in the hospitals with burn injuries.[456]
Rajkumar Raghuvanshi 27
January 15, 2025 Unknown man 60s  South Korea Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol Set himself on fire near South Korea's corruption investigation office. [457]
January 20, 2025 Thairie Ritchie 28  United States Political protest Civil rights activist from Santa Cruz. Set himself on fire near the Black Lives Matter mural at Santa Cruz City Hall. Current condition unconfirmed.[458]
February 15, 2025 Sunil Kumar Mishra  India Firing from bank and abuse Former bank employee for IDFC in Varanasi. Fired from the bank where he soon doused himself and recorded a video revealing the extreme stress, mental breakdown, and suicides. Soon set himself ablaze with flames extinguished quickly by bystanders. Survived. [459]
February 25, 2025 Mohammad Asif Javed Jutt 48  Pakistan Illegal practices from his former employer, attempt to dismantle workers union, workers rights Worked at Nestle's Kabirwala plant for 16 years. Attempted to unionize for better labor conditions but was fired. Fought for 9 years in court, self immolated inside the premises of Pakistan's Lahore High Court. Died days later. Left behind a wife and 4 children. [460]
March 7, 2025 Unknown man 79  South Korea Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol Supporter of Yoon Suk Yeol. Carried pamphlets denouncing opposition bloc and supporting Yoon. Self immolated near Seoul City Hall around noon. Status unknown [461]
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