Pavel Sapielka: Forced psychiatry may become punitive instrument
The authorities may use forced mental treatment for fighting dissent.
Such an opinion came from a former counsel, a human rights activist Pavel Sapielka as he commented for the charter97.org web-site on the forced treatment of a doctor Ihar Pastnou from Viciebsk in a mental hospital.
He emphasized that the problem itself requires attention on the part of civil society, including human rights activists.
“I do not rule out that forced psychiatry may become a punitive instrument, which in its turn could be used against those, who are in any way different in the way they assess the situation or certain processes in the country. How exactly such a person would be treated and whether they would make a vegetable out of them, I do not know. But I want to express my concern over the existing system of forced treatment. I think that prosecutor’s office too should took part and wonder to what degree reasoned was the decision to assign a forced treatment to this specific doctor”, - the human rights activist believes.
