Medics started using punitive psychiatry towards Ihar Pastnou

The court of psychiatric treatment towards the former medic was sanctioned by the Vitsebsk District Court on 21 August. Though the court verdict hasn't come into force, the staff of the Vitsebsk psychiatric hospital have already started its implementation.

According to the Vitsebsk independent journalist Uladzimir Zhyhulou, Ihar Pastnou managed to tell by phone that he was forcibly injected with psychotropic drugs. For this he was allowed to use his mobile phone for one minute.

“Pastnou phoned me suddenly and said he had just one minute. He said that injections started being given to him. The phone was disconnected after the phrase “Shame to our psychiatry!” or something like this.

Ihar Pastnou was going to appeal the verdict about the forced psychiatric treatment, and has already entered into a service contract with a lawyer who is preparing a cassation appeal. The ten-day term for passing such appeal hasn't passed yet.

Vitsebsk social activists also prepared an appeal to the regional prosecutor, asking to reverse the verdict of the the Vitsebsk District Court. In their letter they point at violations of the constitutional rights of Mr. Pastnou during the court proceedings. In particular, he wasn't taken to court so that he could say something in his defence, he had no opportunity to meet with a counsel who could defend his rights at the trial. Thus, according to the Vitsebsk activits, the court violated his right to fair trial and defense at court, as well as freedom of expresion and convictions.