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MINISTER CALLS FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS OF PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES TO CALL POLICE
11.03.2014 18:53 epress.am
The Minister of Health, Armen Muradyan, advised whistleblowers to reach
out to law enforcement when hearing about human rights violations at
psychiatric facilities, especially cases when patients are hit or were
forced to work. The Minister spoke about the situation of psychiatric
facilities in the National Assembly while commenting on a question
by an Epress.am journalist about the results of an investigation done
by human rights defenders at six psychiatric facilities.
Recall, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office released
report about psychiatric facilities, concluded that 84 out of 136
patients said that they were subject to physical deterrence and 75
said that they were subject to forced labor.
"Such statements are considered to imply about a criminal act. The
whistleblowers must inform law enforcement. Or if they are stating
that the psychiatric facility's director has privatized the patient's
apartment or the patient has been beaten or of other human rights
violations, we will follow those issues," said the Minister.
The Minister assured that he gave the psychiatric directors clear
instructions to apply to the courts demanding compensation for medical
misconduct, and demand to present the statement's basis. "If they
don't deny that such incidents occur, of course, there will be an
appropriate administrative decision and a criminal decision at once
if those statements are confirmed by the side of law enforcement,"
said Armen Muradyan.
To the question of whether such a human rights violation has been
revealed and that if staff members have been punished for it,
the minister said that the psychiatric activities will be stricter,
reports are being prepared, while administrative fines are sanctioned
when their work is insufficient to the demands.
Referring to the question, that human rights defenders often criticize
the psychiatric facilities patient's lack of necessary expensive
medicine, Muradyan answered, "the issue of technical upgrades at
the psychiatric facilities is a global issue. It is not possible
to continue to manipulate the issue. Continuing to manipulate it is
not realistic, or it gives room to think that there is a tendentious
approach to the issue."
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/11/03/minister-calls-for-whistleblowers-of-psychiatric-facilities-to-call-police.html
11.03.2014 18:53 epress.am
The Minister of Health, Armen Muradyan, advised whistleblowers to reach
out to law enforcement when hearing about human rights violations at
psychiatric facilities, especially cases when patients are hit or were
forced to work. The Minister spoke about the situation of psychiatric
facilities in the National Assembly while commenting on a question
by an Epress.am journalist about the results of an investigation done
by human rights defenders at six psychiatric facilities.
Recall, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office released
report about psychiatric facilities, concluded that 84 out of 136
patients said that they were subject to physical deterrence and 75
said that they were subject to forced labor.
"Such statements are considered to imply about a criminal act. The
whistleblowers must inform law enforcement. Or if they are stating
that the psychiatric facility's director has privatized the patient's
apartment or the patient has been beaten or of other human rights
violations, we will follow those issues," said the Minister.
The Minister assured that he gave the psychiatric directors clear
instructions to apply to the courts demanding compensation for medical
misconduct, and demand to present the statement's basis. "If they
don't deny that such incidents occur, of course, there will be an
appropriate administrative decision and a criminal decision at once
if those statements are confirmed by the side of law enforcement,"
said Armen Muradyan.
To the question of whether such a human rights violation has been
revealed and that if staff members have been punished for it,
the minister said that the psychiatric activities will be stricter,
reports are being prepared, while administrative fines are sanctioned
when their work is insufficient to the demands.
Referring to the question, that human rights defenders often criticize
the psychiatric facilities patient's lack of necessary expensive
medicine, Muradyan answered, "the issue of technical upgrades at
the psychiatric facilities is a global issue. It is not possible
to continue to manipulate the issue. Continuing to manipulate it is
not realistic, or it gives room to think that there is a tendentious
approach to the issue."
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/11/03/minister-calls-for-whistleblowers-of-psychiatric-facilities-to-call-police.html