Kazakhstan Zinaida Mukhurtova released from psychiatric confinement but still at risk
6 November 2013

Kazakhstan Zinaida Mukhurtova released from psychiatric confinement but still at risk

On 1 November 2013, lawyer Zinaida Mukhortova was released from Astana Medical Centre for Psychological Health. She had forcibly been detained in psychiatric confinement since 9 August 2013. Unfortunately L4L has received information that during the latest appeal hearing, psychiatric tests reaffirmed  that  Zinaida Mukhortova is suffering from a ‘delusional disorder’. Therefore she is once again at risk of forced admission to a psychiatric hospital.

L4L called upon the Kazakh authorities to release Zinaida Mukhortova in August 2013, as her forced psychiatric confinement seemed to be connected to her legitimate activities as a lawyer. Legal proceedings on the basis of Zinaida Mukhortova’s alleged mental health problems began in 2011 after she lodged complaints of government interference into judicial proceedings. In response to these complaints, a criminal investigation was launched against her for the “deliberate false filing of a complaint” under point 2, Article 351 of the Criminal Code. In connection to this investigation, a psychiatric examination was ordered and Zinaida Mukhortova was diagnosed with a ‘delusional disorder’. Since then, she has been put into forced psychiatric confinement several times, most recently on 9 August 2013.

L4L is glad about the release of Zinaida Mukhortova. Nonetheless, L4L will keep on monitoring her case, and those of other lawyers in Kazakhstan, closely.

Meer nieuws uit 

24 April 2024

UN Special rapporteur condemns China’s targeting of human rights lawyers in letter to the government

China

The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, issued a detailed letter on February 14, 2024, addressing the People’s Republic of China about severe restrictions on human rights lawyers. Recently made public, this letter exposes

Lees verder
23 April 2024

Vacature relatiemanager / fondsenwerver (24 – 32 uur)

Ben jij een (ervaren) fondsenwerver die in op creatieve wijze succesvol de fondsenwervende ambitie van Lawyers for Lawyers op de kaart gaat zetten? Lawyers for Lawyers zet zich in voor een vrije en onafhankelijke advocatuur. Waar dan ook ter wereld.

Lees verder
17 April 2024

Joint statement on the detention of Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, activist Xu Yan

China

Lawyers for Lawyers and 29 other civil society organisations have issued a joint statement expressing their grave concern regarding the detention of human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, activist Xu Yan. 13 April marks the first anniversary of

Lees verder
16 April 2024

‘Flight to Lithuania’ — interview with Natalia Matskevich and Paulius Griciunas

Belarus

A new law has been passed in Lithuania which allows lawyers from outside the European Union to register as third-party lawyers in Lithuania. This legislative advance is of great symbolic importance according to Belarusian lawyer Natalia Matskevich. By Trudeke Sillevis

Lees verder