Ukrainian trade union activist Andrei Bondarenko has now been ordered to undergo a forced psychiatric examination on 13 December. He fears that he might be administered drugs or even detained against his will as a result of the examination.

Andrei Bondarenko, who has no record of mental illness, was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination by the Court in Vinnytsya, south west Ukraine on 29 October 2010. The Appeal Court upheld this ruling on 23 November; subsequently Andrei Bondarenko appealed against this decision to the High Court on Criminal and Civil Cases. Although no date was set for the hearing in the High Court, Andrei Bondarenko has already received a summons from the Vinnytsa Region Psycho-neurological Hospital dated 2 December to undergo a psychiatric examination on 13 December. If he does not attend the examination voluntary on 13 December, he will be forced to undergo the examination the following day.

Amnesty International is concerned that any such examination within the Vinnytsya Region would not be impartial and therefore maintains its call that any examination should be outside the Vinnytsya Region, with the participation of a psychiatrist from the Ukrainian Psychiatric Association and the World Psychiatric Association.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Ukrainian, Russian or your own language:

n  Expressing concern that Andrei Bondarenko was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination on 13 December in the hospital in the Vinnytsya region before his appeal against such examination is considered by the High Court.

n  Urging the authorities not to carry out such an examination in the Vinnytsya region to ensure impartiality, ensure the participation of a psychiatrist from the Ukrainian Psychiatric Association and the World Psychiatric Association, and that he not be subjected to any treatment until he has exhausted all legal remedies;

n  Reminding the authorities that they have an obligation not only to ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their activities unhindered but also to protect them against any “violence, threats and retaliation”.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 19 JANUARY 2011 TO:

Prosecutor General

Viktor Pshonka

Vul Riznitska 13/15

01601 Kyiv, Ukraine

Fax: + 380 44 280 2851

Salutation: Dear Prosecutor          

President

Viktor Yanukovych

Bankovaya Str. 11

01220 Kyiv, Ukraine

Fax: +380 44 255 6161

e-mail: [email protected]

Salutation: Dear President

Ombudsman

Nina Karpachova

Vul Instytutska 21/8

01008 Kyiv, Ukraine

e-mail: [email protected]

Salutation: Dear Ombudsman

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the first update of UA: 232/10 (Index: EUR 50/011/2010). Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR50/011/2010/en