Pediatrician tells about involuntary commitment in Vitebsk

A well-known doctor from Vitebsk reveals shocking facts about involuntary commitment in Belarus.

Ihar Pastnou already criticised authorities of the Vitebsk regional psychiatric hospital where he works and the regional officials. His critical remarks provoked pressure on him. The doctor made a new video appeal yesterday saying about discontent of the hospital ideologist over Pastnou's activity on the internet.

Ihar Pastnou shared information about involuntary commitment of residents of the Vitebsk region. According to him, it was a special order by head of the regional executive committee Aliaksandr Kasinets, the website Narodnye Novosti Vitebsk reports.

The document prescribes alcohol dependence treatment for agricultural workers, patients of occupational therapy centres and homeless people.

“A great many of socially disadvantaged people were admitted to hospital. Prosecutors may see it in medical records. People were taken to hospital without their consent,” he claims.

The doctor says the medical documents contain signatures, but they are either fake or put under pressure.

“People are getting caught in streets and taken to the regional psychiatric hospital for 21 days,” the doctor says.

Ihar Pastnou also says that a special commission of the Health Care Ministry found a number of violations of patients' rights during an inspection at the regional psychiatric hospital.