Amnesty International: Ihar Pastnou is prisoner of conscience

• 29.08.2013, 8:36

Amnesty International has declared Vitesbk-based doctor Ihar Pastnou (Igor Postnov) a prisoner of conscience.

A special statement says that he criticised the Vitebsk authorities also for the police's use of in-patient psychiatric testing to deal with homeless people and vagrants, Radio Svaboda reports.

“States have a particular responsibility to protect freedom of expression and allow robust debate about public figures and institutions. Igor Postnov may have been arbitrarily detained because of his legitimate criticism of the health care system in the Vitebsk region; if so Amnesty International would consider him a prisoner of conscience,” the statement says.

Ihar Pastnou was taken to a psychiatric hospital for compulsory treatment.