BackA citizen called the hotline of the Human Rights Defender’s Office and informed that her son was beaten in a psychiatric establishment: The Human Rights Defender initiated a rapid response proceeding
The Human Rights Defender started a discussion proceeding on his own initiative based on the statement about ill-treatment, including beating of the citizen’s son in the psychiatric establishment. A hotline call was also received.
Given that the publications about the incident contain detailed information, the Human Rights Defender finds it necessary to present the following clarifications:
On April 25, 2020, journalist Gagik Shamshyan called the hotline of the Human Rights Defender's Office informing that a citizen applied to him claiming that her son had been subjected to ill-treatment, including beating in the psychiatric establishment. The young man was transferred from the psychiatric establishment to a civilian hospital.
The mother informed the Defender’s Office that while being admitted to a psychiatric establishment, she was assured that her son did not have any serious mental health problems and would be discharged after a short treatment. According to her, after her son was admitted to a psychiatric establishment, he called the department for 7 days, wanted to talk to her son or see him, but the psychiatric personnel refused her requests for various reasons.
According to the mother, despite the psychiatric establishment’s assurances, on April 22 she received a call from the establishment and was informed that her son had serious health problems and had been taken to a civilian hospital. In the hospital, the mother noticed injuries at her son's body, mouth sores and broken teethes, and later she noticed footprints on his son’s clothes that had been provided to her. Her son received the necessary medical care at the medical center, after which she took him home.
The mother informed the Human Right Defender’s representative that her son still needed psychiatric help, however, she did not want to transfer her son to psychiatric organization. During a telephone conversation, the Defender’s representative informed that the Human Rights Defender can assist in transferring her son to another psychiatric establishment. The mother, however, noted that a psychiatrist would visit them, and if the latter gave a prescription for inpatient treatment, she would apply to the Human Rights Defender.
A few hours later, the mother called the Human Rights Defender's Office and informed that her son had a fever. She was offered an emergency medical service.
To receive information about the health condition of the son, the Office of the Human Rights Defender contacted the mother on April 26. The latter informed that she was in the psychiatric institution with her son. According to her, she received a call from the psychiatric institution that her son was in need of psychiatric care and was proposed to transfer him to a mental healthcare center. Immediately after the call, the Human Rights Defender’s Office contacted the competent representative of the psychiatric organization, who indicated that the health condition of the citizen is concerning.
As a response to the additional inquiry on April 27, the Human Rights Defender’s Office received information that the citizen’s health condition deteriorated. He was transferred to the department of toxicology of a multidisciplinary healthcare center with the initial diagnosis of “medication poisoning”.
As a response to oral inquiries of the Human Rights Defender’s Office of April 27 and 28, the medical center provided clarifications specifying that the health condition of the citizen is serious but stable.
A rapid response proceeding is initiated at the Human Rights Defender’s Office.
Source: The Human Rights Defender ofthe Republic of Armenia
