The reported case of ill-treatment of a patient of the Clinical Psychiatric Hospital of Codru town of Chisinau municipality is the fifth case of violation of rights in psychiatric hospitals examined by representatives of the Moldovan Institute for Human Rights (IDOM) so far this year.
In a news conference at IPN, IDOM programs coordinator Dumitru Russu said in the first case the person was brought by the police to the psychiatric hospital, where this was placed in a closed-type section. The man managed to run away after accepting to sweep the institution’s territory. In a week, the police took him again to the hospital and was told to sign a document and will be able to go home, but was lied to and was again closed and had his hands and legs tied and was administered unknown preparations. The man tried again to run away, but suffered a fracture. Ultimately, he was caught by the personnel and brought back. It is alleged that this was beaten, tied to the bed and insulted. A criminal case was started over deprivation of freedom and inhuman and degrading treatment.
In another case examined by IDOM, the victim was placed in a quarantine room called by those closed in it as “lock-up” because it was used by the personnel of the institution to punish patients. Dumitru Russu said the person was brought to the room by force and was caused bodily injuries, while the nurse administered medicines to him against his will. Based on complaints, the Prosecutor’s Office ordered to take legal action over inhuman and degrading treatment.
Another case occurred at the Orhei Psychiatric Hospital, where a mentally healthy young man was held in the hospital for six months against his will and in the absence of a relevant court decision. In this case, the mayor of Ciutesti was found guilty for holding a minor for 144 days in a psychiatric hospital and was given a two year and a half suspended sentence and banned from holding public posts for five years and was also obliged to pay 60,000 lei in respect of non-pecuniary damage.
The IDOM experts said the problems of abuse and inhuman treatment in psychiatric hospitals and of hostile attitude and discrimination against persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities were repeatedly reported at such international forums as the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and by the special UN rapporteurs.
