Russian authorities are increasingly using psychiatric confinement to suppress dissent. A Reuters investigation examined case files, consulted human rights organizations, and interviewed legal experts.
Yekaterina Fatyanova, 37, was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric facility in Krasnoyarsk on April 28, 2023. She was accused of tarnishing the reputation of the Russian military by publishing an article criticizing the Ukraine war’s motives. Though she did not write the piece, authorities deemed her responsible.
Inside the hospital, she endured distressing and unnecessary medical procedures, including an invasive gynecological exam. Released a month later, doctors found her mentally sound. Fatyanova believes her detention aimed to isolate and intimidate her.
Human rights advocate Robert van Voren noted a sharp increase in politically driven psychiatric cases—jumping from an annual five before 2022 to about 23 per year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian watchdog Memorial reports 48 individuals are currently under psychiatric detention for political reasons, with most facing allegations linked to anti-war sentiments. Some are teenagers, like a young activist confined after attempting to organize a peace rally.
Another victim, Olga Suvorova, 56, an outspoken activist, also endured psychiatric evaluation. Her hospitalization stemmed from accusations of falsely alleging police brutality. After three weeks of confinement, she was declared mentally stable.
Experts warn this echoes Soviet-era abuses, where psychiatry was weaponized to crush opposition. In modern Russia, the resurgence of this practice signals a disturbing rollback of democratic freedoms.
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