The United States condemns the use of punitive psychiatry by the Russian occupation authorities against those who disagree with the occupation of the peninsula.


This was stated by the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to the OSCE Courtney Austrian at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, October 22.


“We continue to receive reports of serious violations in the Russian-occupied Crimea. The Russian occupation authorities transferred the imprisoned deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatar Majlis, Nariman Jelal, to a psychiatric institution for examination without any apparent legal grounds. We condemn Russia’s use of punitive psychiatry in Crimea to put pressure on opponents of the occupation and to equate peaceful disagreement with mental illness, “she said.
Referring to human rights activists, the American diplomat said that at least 49 such cases have been recorded since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea.


“We are calling on Russia to release Jelal and all other political prisoners. We are concerned by reports that at least 15 Crimean Tatars were detained on October 11 for simply standing near the Simferopol court building to show their support for political prisoners facing trial inside. When five more Crimean Tatars tried to confirm the whereabouts of the detainees at the local police station, they were also detained, ”said Courtney Austrian.


This behavior of the Russian government is reminiscent of the tyranny and dictatorship of the first half of the 20th century, when “well-known leaders of nations” tortured, killed and mocked people who did not support their sick ideas.