A resident of Sochi reports an attempt of coercive hospitalization to psychoneurologic dispensary

Valentina Gorbunova, resident of the health resort of Sochi, Krasnodar region, accuses officials of the Administration of Khosta district and medics of the ambulance service of an attempt of her coercive hospitalization to psychoneurologic dispensary (PND).

Valentina Gorbunova is a certificated dentist, native of Sochi bringing up a twelve-years-old son. According to her, she had to end registration in her parents' flat in 1997 for the reason of studying in the Medical Academy of Stavropol. After her father's death in 2012 she decided to return to the flat in Sochi and live with her mother Ludmila Arvovna Volmar aged 74.

During her resettlement in Sochi a number of problems emerged, Gorbunova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. In particular, she had problems with domiciliary registration and her son had difficulties with adaptation at school. "To solve these social problems, on April, 16, I appealed to Deputy Head of Administration of Khosta district Elena Guseva", Gorbunova said.

However, Guseva called three more employees of the Administration to her office which, according to Gorbunova, provoked a conflict. "They started intimidating me, said that they would deprive me of parental rights and take my son away from me, the woman continued. - I warned these women that by their behaviour they could lead a person to suicide. Several minutes later a psychiatric emergency team arrived".

According to the woman, the medical attendant put her into the ambulance "under protest" and took her to psychoneurologic dispensary. "The emergency doctor who did not introduce herself but as I found out later, it was N. Grin, wanted me to sign some papers testifying that I allegedly was brought there of my own free will. I explained the doctor that I did not call the emergency team, did not ask to take me to PND of render me psychiatric aid, I just came to the Administration to talk to Guseva", she said.

Gorbunova states that the physicians of PND of Sochi took away her bag with her passport, mobile and money. "The same day I managed to escape from PND through a big hole in the fence. On April, 26, they returned my belongings to me in the presence of witnesses", our interlocutor added.

On the fact of the incident Valentina Gorbunova submitted a statement to Public prosecutor's office demanding to call the officials of the Administration and medics to account for abuse of authority and arbitrariness.

Head of municipal Administration of Khosta district Elena Guseva confirmed that on April, 16, she received Valentina Gorbunova and an emergency team was called to her. According to Guseva, Valentina Gorbunova behaved "inadequately" at her office. Elena Guseva did not specify the exact manifestations of inadequacy of Gorbunova's behavior.

Natalia Balashova, expert on work with the underage, was present in the office when the emergency team was called and arrived. She explained the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Valentina Gorbunova talked about suicide and the emergency team was called just to prevent this.

Ashot Tonokanyan, Deputy Head doctor of the PND for clinical work, declared that "if Valentina Gorbunova does not need medical aid nobody is going to keep her here by force". At the same time, Deputy Head doctor considers that he cannot comment on the actions of the emergency team or Elena Guseva's ones.

According to Federal Law "On psychiatric service", this service is voluntary, lawyer Igor Kurochkin explained. "There can be only two reasons for coercion hospitalization: one's danger for oneself or people around. However, in this case there must be evident manifestations of a person's dangerous behaviour", the lawyer said.

Public Prosecutor of the town Mark Bolshedvorsky to whom Valentina Gorbunova's statement was addressed called the situation "strange". He also said that Public prosecutor's office of Khosta district of Sochi, the district where the violation of the law took place, would most probably consider the statement for Public prosecutor's office of the city only takes control of question and complaints that were not settled at the level of district Public prosecutor's offices.