Human rights activists: Stanislav Klykh needs an urgent and independent mental status examination

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Kyiv, 23 June 2016.  Russia initiated another criminal case against Stanislav Klykh. This time – for insulting the investigation. This was reported by Maryna Dubrovina, lawyer of Stanislav Klykh, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. The lawyers plan to apply for an independent mental status examination. “He would never have done so save his critical mental state. His state is becoming more and more depressed. You never know what his state will be, or how the next trial might develop,” stated his lawyer. “It is difficult to see him in this state because you knew him to be one person and now he is a completely different person. He must be returned home immediately,” emphasized Tamara Klykh, mother of Stanislav Klykh.

Nadia Volkova, lawyer of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, said that currently they are preparing a request to the European Court of Human Rights on urgent measures to conduct an independent mental examination. International experts from the British Royal College of Psychiatrists have been involved in the process. They analyzed Klykh’s speeches in court and confirmed the need for such an examination. “We hope that the European Court will react appropriately, because the evidence is very strong. As of now, we have a response to our first request from April 21: Klykh’s medical file was demanded and obtained. There is no evidence of his treatment there,” said the lawyer.

Dokka Itslayev, lawyer of Mykola Karpiuk, believes that his detention in Russia is a pressure on certain groups in Ukraine, because here he is an active public figure. He named three possible ways of Mykola Karpiuk’s release: political negotiations, extradition or through the help of the European Court of Human Rights.