Are psychiatric centres in Kazakhstan turning into hubs of abuse and mistreatment?

Author: Perizat Zharilkassyn
Mentor: Kenzhekay Toktamuratkyzy

Italy is the only country in the world that has completely shut down its public psychiatric institutions. In Kazakhstan, around 300,000 people — including 45,000 children — are registered at mental health centres. Just like those with physical illnesses, people suffering from mental health issues, whether adults or children, have the right to safe and high-quality treatment without violence. However, Kazakhstan’s psychiatric institutions seem to have taken on the role of closed-off facilities that operate without oversight. As more stories emerge of abuse experienced by patients — including children — it becomes increasingly difficult to deny that there may be a systemic problem at play.

*The original article is written in Kazakh