Roman Nikolaichik, critic of Vladimir Putin, is sent to mental hospital

[meegbear]

An anti-Kremlin activist is being held in a mental hospital in what supporters say is a return to a Soviet-era punishment of dissidents.

Roman Nikolaichik, a parliamentary candidate for The Other Russia, the chess champion Garry Kasparov's anti-Putin coalition, was sent to a psychiatric hospital after police questioned him about his political activities.

Mr Nikolaichik, 27, a lawyer, was detained in Tver, 100 miles (160km) north of Moscow, where he is head of the coalition's local branch. He is also a member of Ares, a monarchist movement in Russia.

Yevgeny Svetovidov, a spokesman for Ares, said that Mr Nikolaichik was a victim of “punitive psychiatry” after being summoned for questioning by local prosecutors on Friday. He said that they tried initially to fabricate a charge of attempted murder against the activist, then called a doctor who certified him as mentally unstable.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3315213.ece

[knitter4democracy]

1. Sounds like it's time for Woland to visit again.

Also sounds like the Cold War didn't really end. Same people in charge, just different political philosophy. Now they can rob the people out in the open instead of behind closed doors.