Russia has denied a plea from a Siberian shaman to be transferred out of a severe psychiatric hospital, where he has been confined for over three years for protesting against President Vladimir Putin. Alexander Gabyshev, 55, was sent to the hospital in January 2021 after attempting to walk from his native republic of Sakha to Moscow to “exorcise” Putin from office. Despite his lawyer’s efforts to appeal for a transfer to a general psychiatric hospital, the courts have upheld his confinement. The lawyer, Alexei Pryanishnikov, will appeal to the Supreme Court, with a psychiatric examination scheduled for early October.
Russia has faced criticism from rights groups for using psychiatry and forced confinement in mental institutions as a punitive measure against dissent, a tactic reminiscent of the Soviet era. Amnesty International has called Gabyshev’s confinement a form of torture, while Russian rights group Memorial has labeled him a political prisoner.
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