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.