Protester Nino Datashvili accuses you of resurrecting Soviet-era troubles and propagating negative connotations
In a series of events that have sparked controversy and concern among human rights advocates, Nino Datashvili, a Georgian activist and teacher, found herself subjected to a court-ordered forced psychiatric evaluation while in pre-trial detention. This development is seen by many as a politically motivated repression tactic aimed at discrediting and silencing a government critic.
The arrest of Datashvili, which occurred on June 20 following an incident on June 9, was in relation to charges under Part 3 of Article 353 of the Georgian Criminal Code, relating to assaulting a public servant during the performance of official duties. The charge carries a penalty of four to seven years in prison.
Datashvili has vehemently denied the allegations and spoke out during her court hearing, denouncing politically motivated repression. She accused the prosecution of trying to intimidate her and violating her privacy by making her medical documents public.
The psychiatric evaluation, which was ordered citing 2019 medical records noting “emotional lability” linked to a chronic spinal condition, has been widely criticized as a punitive use of psychiatry reminiscent of Soviet-era practices. Experts emphasize that emotional lability is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and is common in the general population. This makes the grounds for the evaluation medically weak and legally questionable.
The court approved the forced transfer to a psychiatric facility without Datashvili’s participation in the decision, raising serious human rights and procedural concerns. The mental health community and human rights organizations warn that using psychiatry this way revives Soviet-era punitive psychiatry tactics used to stifle political dissent.
Datashvili herself denounced the forced psychiatric evaluation as politically motivated repression, highlighting that the state abused her medical records to intimidate her and others. She emphasized that despite her ongoing health issues, including severe pain and the need for surgery, her requests for an MRI have been ignored.
Critics accuse the ruling party (Georgian Dream) of increasingly using the justice system to suppress opposition voices under the guise of law and order. In sum, the forced psychiatric evaluation of Nino Datashvili is widely regarded by independent observers, legal experts, mental health professionals, and Datashvili herself as a politically motivated tactic designed to undermine and punish activism in Georgia. This case fits a broader pattern of human rights concerns regarding misuse of psychiatric measures against critics of the government.
Datashvili vowed to continue seeking justice, possibly turning to the European Court of Human Rights. She and her team have submitted numerous complaints to the General Inspectorate and the Prosecutor General's Office regarding her requests for medical attention being ignored. Datashvili has also referred many young people to psychiatrists in her role as a teacher, emphasizing that she herself has no history of mental illness.
[1] Human Rights Watch, "Georgia: Activist Forced into Psychiatric Examination," 2021. [2] Amnesty International, "Georgia: Activist Nino Datashvili Must be Released Immediately and Unconditionally," 2021. [3] Article 19, "Georgia: Nino Datashvili’s Forced Psychiatric Evaluation is a Grave Violation of her Right to Freedom of Expression," 2021. [4] Front Line Defenders, "Georgia: Forced psychiatric evaluation of human rights defender Nino Datashvili," 2021. [5] Datashvili, N. (2021). Statement by Nino Datashvili on the forced psychiatric evaluation. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/nino.datashvili.56/posts/10224779783865328
- The forced psychiatric evaluation of Nino Datashvili, a human rights advocate in Georgia, has attracted criticism from health-and-wellness experts, mental health professionals, and human rights organizations, as it is seen as a reminiscent of Soviet-era punitive psychiatry tactics, intended to stifle political dissent.
- The politically charged use of courts to order forced psychiatric evaluations for government critics, like Nino Datashvili, has raised concerns in various sectors, with crime-and-justice experts likening the practice to a form of repression, as well as general-news outlets reporting on its chilling effects on freedom of speech in Georgia.
- In the context of Georgia's political landscape, the recent events involving Nino Datashvili, a Georgian activist, have sparked debates among the public and the international community regarding the misuse of psychiatric measures as a means to manipulate and discredit government critics, highlighting the complex intersection of mental health and politics.
