Political abuse of psychiatry: 1st of October session (day 1 of 5)
We are pleased to present the programme for the first day of our five-day series of online seminars. This series aims to shed light on pressing issues of human rights abuses in medical and psychiatric fields, particularly in China and Latin America. Below are the distinguished speakers for Sunday, 1st of October, on abuses in China and Latin America. For accessibility and convenience, there will be an option to enable auto-translated subtitles during all sessions.
16h CEST / 10h EST / 07h PST - Dr David Matas
Forced organ harvesting in the People's Republic of China: Dr David Matas has campaigned tirelessly against forced organ harvesting in China, a practice that involves the extrajudicial detention of dissidents and ethnic minorities, including in psychiatric wards. His work exposes an operation in which medical ethics are completely abandoned: organs are harvested on demand from living prisoners, effectively killing them in the process. This is not only an ethical disaster, but a moral abomination that indelibly stains the medical and psychiatric professions. The practice inflicts unimaginable torment on its victims and turns human bodies into commodities. Matas' unwavering commitment to exposing this atrocity establishes him as a leading authority on one of the most heinous human rights violations of our time.
https://meet.google.com/wmn-qbcf-spu
17h CEST / 11h EST / 08h PST - Prof. Manuel Llorens
Political power and psychiatric abuse in Venezuela: Professor Dr. Manuel Llorens is a leading figure in psychotherapy and psychiatry who emphasises the inherently political and contextual nature of mental health. His work is set in the harrowing context of Venezuela, a country plagued by extrajudicial killings, state-sanctioned torture and a health system in shambles, where patients, including those in psychiatric care, lack basic supplies and face starvation.
https://meet.google.com/wmn-qbcf-spu
18h CEST / 12h EST / 09h PST - Yanxi Mou
Political power and psychiatric abuse in the People's Republic of China: Mou Yanxi is not just an observer but a survivor of state repression, having lived under the constant threat of arrest and surveillance for her activism in China. Her work with Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch is not only academic, but also deeply personal, as she has been subject to the very mechanisms of state control that she studies. This lived experience gives her insights into the political abuse of psychiatry in China an unparalleled depth and urgency. She doesn't just know the system, she has felt its weight, making her an exceptionally compelling and authoritative speaker on the subject.
https://meet.google.com/wmn-qbcf-spu
Please note that this is the first of five days of seminars. The access link is not person-specific; we encourage you to share it among your colleagues and interested peers. Everyone is welcome to attend. For your convenience, there will be an option to enable auto-translated subtitles during the sessions. We look forward to your participation in these critical discussions.