Punitive Psychiatry Against LGBTQ+ Individuals in Russia
Russia is witnessing an intensification of punitive psychiatry — a practice in which individuals facing political persecution are forcibly placed in psychiatric institutions without their consent. This type of treatment is often used as a tool of punishment and control, particularly targeting opposition-minded citizens, human rights defenders, and activists.
In February 2024, the newspaper Novaya Gazeta published an article titled "Playing the Fool", detailing cases where opposition activists and human rights defenders were forcibly committed to psychiatric facilities. One such case involved a human rights activist, Ivan Petrov (name changed), who was hospitalized after organizing a protest against corruption in his local administration. Despite showing no signs of mental illness, Petrov was declared legally incapacitated and institutionalized based on assessments conducted by state-appointed doctors.
In response to criticism from human rights organizations, Russia’s Ministry of Health, led by Mikhail Murashko, announced the establishment of a new Institute of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. According to the minister, the institute will focus on “improving psychiatric care” and “training specialists.” However, human rights defenders warn that this initiative may further entrench punitive psychiatry and strengthen the use of mental institutions to suppress political dissent.
“There is now a presidential directive to create, based on our federal Serbsky Center for Psychiatry, an additional institute for the study of not only these but also a range of behavioral patterns, including public behavior. This area will now be subjected to mandatory scientific research,” Murashko stated.
In March 2024, the human rights organization Memorial published a report highlighting a rise in forced psychiatric hospitalizations across Russia. The report documents several instances where protesters were institutionalized based on false diagnoses. In some cases, these actions were sanctioned by local authorities — raising concerns about the systemic nature of this practice.
Human rights groups are calling on the international community to address the issue of punitive psychiatry in Russia and to demand independent investigations into each case of involuntary commitment. They are also urging for a reform of the psychiatric care system to eliminate its use as a tool of political repression.
In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Health has reiterated its commitment to improving psychiatric care and professional training — but has yet to outline any concrete steps to prevent psychiatry from being used for political purposes.
In February 2024, the newspaper Novaya Gazeta published an article titled "Playing the Fool", detailing cases where opposition activists and human rights defenders were forcibly committed to psychiatric facilities. One such case involved a human rights activist, Ivan Petrov (name changed), who was hospitalized after organizing a protest against corruption in his local administration. Despite showing no signs of mental illness, Petrov was declared legally incapacitated and institutionalized based on assessments conducted by state-appointed doctors.
In response to criticism from human rights organizations, Russia’s Ministry of Health, led by Mikhail Murashko, announced the establishment of a new Institute of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. According to the minister, the institute will focus on “improving psychiatric care” and “training specialists.” However, human rights defenders warn that this initiative may further entrench punitive psychiatry and strengthen the use of mental institutions to suppress political dissent.
“There is now a presidential directive to create, based on our federal Serbsky Center for Psychiatry, an additional institute for the study of not only these but also a range of behavioral patterns, including public behavior. This area will now be subjected to mandatory scientific research,” Murashko stated.
In March 2024, the human rights organization Memorial published a report highlighting a rise in forced psychiatric hospitalizations across Russia. The report documents several instances where protesters were institutionalized based on false diagnoses. In some cases, these actions were sanctioned by local authorities — raising concerns about the systemic nature of this practice.
Human rights groups are calling on the international community to address the issue of punitive psychiatry in Russia and to demand independent investigations into each case of involuntary commitment. They are also urging for a reform of the psychiatric care system to eliminate its use as a tool of political repression.
In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Health has reiterated its commitment to improving psychiatric care and professional training — but has yet to outline any concrete steps to prevent psychiatry from being used for political purposes.