Georgian Activist's Forced Psychiatric Evaluation Sparks Outcry, Draws Comparisons to Soviet-Era Repression

Nino Datashvili

The involuntary psychiatric evaluation of Georgian activist and teacher Nino Datashvili has ignited a firestorm of protest from human rights organizations and mental health professionals, who condemn the move as a politically motivated tactic to silence dissent. Datashvili was detained on June 20, accused of assaulting a court bailiff—a charge her lawyers have called "absurd."

Following her arrest, the Tbilisi City Court approved a request from prosecutors to transfer Datashvili to a psychiatric facility for a twenty-day evaluation. This request was based on medical records provided by her own lawyers to argue against her pre-trial detention, which cited "emotional lability, crying, and heightened emotions" as symptoms related to a chronic back condition.

Her lawyers, including Tamar Gabodze, head of Partnership for Human Rights (PHR), have strongly pushed back against the prosecution’s reasoning. Gabodze stated that Datashvili's emotional symptoms are a direct result of the "worsening pain" from her spinal surgery and are not a diagnosis. She called the move a "new tactic" to discredit Datashvili and "push her out of activism."

The court’s decision has provoked widespread condemnation. Dozens of Georgian civil society organizations, including the NGO Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary and the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), have called the action a "clear violation of human rights" and a "dangerous trend of using state institutions to persecute and intimidate critics."

A joint statement from several mental health organizations and professionals also condemned the "political use of psychiatry." The statement drew a stark historical parallel to the Soviet era, when political dissidents were confined to psychiatric institutions as a form of punishment. The groups recalled the tragic case of journalist Nazi Shamanauri, who died in a psychiatric facility after being confined there for her criticism of Soviet authorities, and urged a halt to the "alarming and harmful practice."

The Georgian Association of Social Workers further stressed that a person's mental health "must not be used as a tool for political or activist persecution."

In response to the criticism, the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office has defended its request, calling it "reasonable" and a "standard procedure in similar cases." They stated that the request was based on the "psycho-emotional condition" noted in Datashvili's medical documents.

However, Datashvili's lawyer, Gabodze, expressed serious concerns about the court's order. She noted that the court had stated that if her client "refuses to undergo the evaluation, proportional measures of coercion would be applied." Gabodze views this as a blatant attempt to forcibly confine Datashvili.

Amid the ongoing controversy, a representative from the Georgian Public Defender's Office visited Datashvili at Rustavi's N5 penitentiary facility on August 2. The office of Levan Ioseliani reported that Datashvili discussed her health and the conditions of her detention, which she said were "significantly affecting her health." The Ombudsman's office has requested her full medical documentation to "study and evaluate the matter" and will continue to monitor the case to ensure her rights are respected.

The activist's detention stems from an incident on June 9 at the Tbilisi City Court, where she was protesting the trial of anti-government activists. Footage shows her being pushed out of the building by bailiffs. She faces a charge of assaulting a state official, which is punishable by four to seven years in prison. Datashvili's lawyers maintain that the grounds for her detention are "absurd" and that no evidence supports the accusation.