Two men have attempted to commit suicide by hanging themselves from a tree in a central Athens square, in one of the latest scenes of desperation as thousands of refugees remain stranded inside Greece after being blocked from continuing their journey. The men, reportedly from Pakistan, forced themselves into makeshift nooses made of pieces of fabric in Victoria Square, a gathering point for refugees arriving in the Greek capital, local media said on Thursday. Soon afterwards, ambulances arrived at the scene and took them into hospitals for treatment.
An official from Greece’s National Centre for Health Operations told Al Jazeera that the two men were released from the hospitals later on Thursday in good condition. A hospital source told Al Jazeera that the two men were believed to be brothers, but that could not be independently verified.
A police spokesperson also confirmed to Al Jazeera that the two men were in good health. He said the men were “probably” from Pakistan, but added that that had not been verified as they did not have any documentation on them. “It [the suicide attempt] happened at midday in Victoria Square,” the police spokesperson told Al Jazeera. “They probably wanted to show their objection with the fact that they cannot leave [Greece].”
