Use of Punitive Psychiatry Continues: Aliaksandr Kruty Detained and Placed in Psychiatric Hospital

On 3 March Aliaksandr Kruty came to a polyclinic to get registered there. He was met by the policemen, who forcedly took him to the Navinki psychiatric hospital in Minsk.

As HRC Viasna learned, Aliaksandr Kruty did not give his agreement to psychiatric treatment. As it is stated in the law On psychiatric treatment¸ placement to a psychiatric hospital is possible only on citizen’s personal agreement or in the case when his/her actions present a threat to his/her own health or health of other citizens. In this case the actions of Niasvizh police are unlawful and Kruty’s relatives are going to appeal against them to court.

Bear in mind that recently the College Board on criminal cases of Minsk oblast court reversed the ruling of Niasvizh district court by which Kruty was found guilty of public insult of president of Belarus. It is quite interesting that according to the ruling of Niasvizh court Kruty was freed from criminal punishment, as his actions did not present considerable social threat, but instead was to have been directed for psychiatric treatment right from the pre-trial prison. He was released from prison only after the ruling of Minsk oblast court. Nevertheless, then he was caught and taken to the psychiatric hospital. This case, along with the cases of the civil activists Valery Misnikau (Vitsebsk) and Krystsina Shatsikava (Mahiliou) witnesses the continuing use of punitive psychiatry in Belarus.