**Georgian Activist Detained and Sent to Psychiatric Facility**
In a move that has sparked outrage among human rights groups, the Tbilisi City Court has ordered the involuntary transfer of activist Nino Datashvili to a psychiatric facility for examination. The decision was made at the request of prosecutors, who cited medical records showing that Datashvili suffers from rising emotionality due to a serious spinal condition.
Datashvili, an activist and teacher, was detained on July 20 and faces charges of assaulting a public officer. Her lawyers argue that the prosecution’s request is an attempt to discredit and stigmatize her, and that the court’s decision is an abuse of power.
The Partnership for Human Rights (PHR), a local human rights group, says that prosecutors seized on Datashvili’s medical records without any grounds or criteria, and that the court granted the request without allowing the activist to take part in the process. PHR Head Tamuna Gabodze told reporters that the prosecution’s move is “an attempt to discredit and stigmatize Nino [Datashvili], because psychiatry is stigmatized in Georgia.”
Gabodze also noted that instead of considering Datashvili’s medical condition during her pre-trial hearing, the prosecutors have chosen to use this as a pretext to keep her imprisoned. “They illegally extended Nino’s imprisonment, this time in a psychiatric facility,” she said.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has issued a statement defending its decision, saying that it was based on medical records filed by the defense, which noted psycho-emotional lability as an accompanying disease. However, human rights groups remain skeptical and argue that the move is part of a broader pattern of repression against activists and journalists in Georgia.
Datashvili’s detention and charges are among several cases that have drawn scrutiny and criticism for prosecutors applying disproportionate criminal charges to minor incidents. Her case has sparked outrage and condemnation from civil society organizations, who see it as an attempt to silence her activism.
**The Background**
Nino Datashvili was arrested on July 20 and faces up to 7 years in jail on charges of assaulting a public officer. The incident occurred when she was forcibly removed from court by bailiffs on June 9. Video footage from the scene appears to show her frantically swinging her hands at a bailiff while being restrained and removed.
Her detention has been criticized as an example of the Georgian authorities’ attempts to silence activists and journalists who speak out against corruption and abuse of power. The country’s Prosecutor’s Office has faced criticism for applying disproportionate charges in several high-profile cases, including that of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli.
**The Reaction**
The decision to send Datashvili to a psychiatric facility has sparked outrage among human rights groups and activists. PHR Head Tamuna Gabodze called the move “an abuse of power” and argued that it is an attempt to discredit and stigmatize Datashvili.
Other organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the decision as an example of the Georgian authorities’ attempts to silence critics. They argue that the charges against Datashvili are disproportionate and that her detention is a clear case of repression.
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