Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Wednesday calling on the Russian authorities to properly investigate reported abuses at a psychiatric facility in the Bryansk region near the border with Belarus.
In mid-July, Alexander Kupriyanov, a psychiatrist in the region anonymously received video footage of patients in the Trubchyovsk Psycho-Neurological Institution chained to their beds and chairs.
The psychiatrist told HRW researchers he had been receiving reports about the mistreatment of residents at the facility for years.
Former staff members have subsequently spoken on state television to verify conditions at the clinic saying “unruly” patients were sometimes shackled or that residents were sometimes chained to each other during mealtimes.
HRW’s report cited Kupriyanov as saying the Russian authorities' investigation into the facility has focused on determining who filmed and leaked the video footage.
“Shackling is prohibited under Russian and international law, and Human Rights Watch has called for an absolute ban on shackling and other forms of prolonged restraint,” HRW wrote on its website on Wednesday.
“Authorities should properly investigate these damning allegations and make sure that people in such institutions around Russia are treated with the dignity they deserve.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
