Anatoly Koryagin
Encyclopedia
Anatoly Ivanovich Koryagin (September 15, 1938 —) is a Russian psychiatrist
and Soviet dissident. He holds a Candidate of Science degree (equivalent to PhD
in the West).
(Krasnoyarsk Krai
, Russia
). After graduating from the Krasnoyarsk
Medical Institute in 1963, Koryagin worked for 4 years as a psychiatrist in Abakan
. In 1972 he successfully defended his doctoral thesis on apathetic
aspects of schizophrenia
, and in the same year he became deputy head doctor of the regional psychiatric hospital in Kyzyl
. In 1978 he became a consultant at the Kharkov regional psychiatric clinic.
Koryagin was arrested in February 1981. In June that year he was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor
, to be followed by 5 years of internal exile. The charge was anti-Soviet activities for having corresponded with the British medical journal Lancet
, which published an article by Koryagin critical of the Soviet government's use of involuntary psychiatric confinement for political reasons. Koryagin documented the existence of 16 special hospitals for dissidents and 183 political prisoners that were confined in them. The transcripts of his trial, which were published by Amnesty International
in 1982, record the following statement he made:
prison, Koryagin often went on hunger strike
, and as a result he was forcibly fed
and also drugged with antipsychotic
medications. During his imprisonment he managed to smuggle a letter to the West documenting his ordeal. The General Assembly of the World Psychiatric Association
passed a resolution making Dr. Anatoly Koryagin an honorary individual member of the World Psychiatric Association for “demonstrating in the struggle against the perversion of psychiatry for nonmedical purposes, professional conscience, courage and devotion to duty, all in exceptional measure.” The American Psychiatric Association
elected him an honorary member while he was still imprisoned, and the Royal College of Psychiatry, which elected him a Fellow, addressed a letter to Yuri Andropov
requesting his release. In 1983 the American Association for the Advancement of Science bestowed him with the Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award.
Koryagin was eventually released on February 19, 1987. Although he had been offered asylum in Switzerland
, he initially refused because one of his sons had just been arrested, but finally emigrated to Switzerland with his entire family later that year after his son's release. During the Glasnost
period, he remained a vocal critic of the Soviet psychiatric system, and a harsh critic of torture.
In 1988, Koryagin sent the letter of appreciation for having been honoured with Fellowship in the Royal College of Psychiatrists
to its President, Dr. Birley.
In 1990, Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
published the article Compulsion in psychiatry: blessing or curse? by Anatoly Koryagin. It contains eight arguments by which the existence of a system of political abuse of psychiatry in the U.S.S.R. cаn easily be demonstrated and analysis of the abuse of psychiatry.
In 1995 Koryagin returned to Russia
. Now he lives in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
and Soviet dissident. He holds a Candidate of Science degree (equivalent to PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in the West).
Early career
Koryagin was born on 15 September 1938 in KanskKansk
Kansk is a town on the left bank of the Kan River in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. Population: It is home to the Kansk air base and is crossed by the Trans-Siberian railroad....
(Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai is a federal subject of Russia . It is the second largest federal subject after the Sakha Republic, and Russia's largest krai, occupying an area of , which is 13% of the country's total territory. The administrative center of the krai is the city of Krasnoyarsk...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
). After graduating from the Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of...
Medical Institute in 1963, Koryagin worked for 4 years as a psychiatrist in Abakan
Abakan
Abakan is the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia, Russia, located in the central part of Minusinsk Depression, at the confluence of the Yenisei and Abakan Rivers. Population: -History:...
. In 1972 he successfully defended his doctoral thesis on apathetic
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
aspects of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, and in the same year he became deputy head doctor of the regional psychiatric hospital in Kyzyl
Kyzyl
-External links:*** in Kyzyl, Russia*...
. In 1978 he became a consultant at the Kharkov regional psychiatric clinic.
Exposing punitive psychiatry and trial
Koryagin served as chief psychiatrist to the underground Commission to Investigate the Use of Psychiatry for Political Purposes, which was formed in 1977. He and another psychiatrist examined 55 dissidents who had been released or were going to be involuntarily confined. They concluded that there was no medical justification for the confinement of these people, and then campaigned for the release of dissidents held in psychiatric facilities.Koryagin was arrested in February 1981. In June that year he was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor
Hard Labor
Hard Labor is the eleventh album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1974 .- Cover Artwork :The original album cover, depicting of the birth of a record album , was deemed too controversial and was soon reworked with a huge bandage covering the "birth". The cover also includes an...
, to be followed by 5 years of internal exile. The charge was anti-Soviet activities for having corresponded with the British medical journal Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
, which published an article by Koryagin critical of the Soviet government's use of involuntary psychiatric confinement for political reasons. Koryagin documented the existence of 16 special hospitals for dissidents and 183 political prisoners that were confined in them. The transcripts of his trial, which were published by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
in 1982, record the following statement he made:
Detention, recognition and later life
While held in the ChistopolChistopol
Chistopol is a town in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located on the left bank of the Kuybyshev Reservoir, on the Kama River. Population: It is served by the Chistopol Airport.-History:It was first mentioned in chronicles at the end of the 17th century...
prison, Koryagin often went on hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
, and as a result he was forcibly fed
Force-feeding
Force-feeding is the practice of feeding a person or an animal against their will. "Gavage" is supplying a nutritional substance by means of a small plastic tube passed through the nose or mouth into the stomach, not explicitly 'forcibly'....
and also drugged with antipsychotic
Antipsychotic
An antipsychotic is a tranquilizing psychiatric medication primarily used to manage psychosis , particularly in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A first generation of antipsychotics, known as typical antipsychotics, was discovered in the 1950s...
medications. During his imprisonment he managed to smuggle a letter to the West documenting his ordeal. The General Assembly of the World Psychiatric Association
World Psychiatric Association
The World Psychiatric Association is an international umbrella organisation of psychiatric societies.-Objectives and goals:Originally created to produce world psychiatric congresses, it has evolved to hold regional meetings, to promote professional education and to set ethical, scientific and...
passed a resolution making Dr. Anatoly Koryagin an honorary individual member of the World Psychiatric Association for “demonstrating in the struggle against the perversion of psychiatry for nonmedical purposes, professional conscience, courage and devotion to duty, all in exceptional measure.” The American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
elected him an honorary member while he was still imprisoned, and the Royal College of Psychiatry, which elected him a Fellow, addressed a letter to Yuri Andropov
Yuri Andropov
Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov was a Soviet politician and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 12 November 1982 until his death fifteen months later.-Early life:...
requesting his release. In 1983 the American Association for the Advancement of Science bestowed him with the Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award.
Koryagin was eventually released on February 19, 1987. Although he had been offered asylum in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, he initially refused because one of his sons had just been arrested, but finally emigrated to Switzerland with his entire family later that year after his son's release. During the Glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
period, he remained a vocal critic of the Soviet psychiatric system, and a harsh critic of torture.
In 1988, Koryagin sent the letter of appreciation for having been honoured with Fellowship in the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Psychiatrists
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the main professional organisation of psychiatrists in the United Kingdom responsible for representing psychiatrists, psychiatric research and providing public information about mental health problems...
to its President, Dr. Birley.
In 1990, Psychiatric Bulletin of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Psychiatrists
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the main professional organisation of psychiatrists in the United Kingdom responsible for representing psychiatrists, psychiatric research and providing public information about mental health problems...
published the article Compulsion in psychiatry: blessing or curse? by Anatoly Koryagin. It contains eight arguments by which the existence of a system of political abuse of psychiatry in the U.S.S.R. cаn easily be demonstrated and analysis of the abuse of psychiatry.
In 1995 Koryagin returned to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Now he lives in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky.