www.ukrweekly.com iished by the Ukrainian National Association Inc.. a fraternai non-profit association| Mrainian WeekI у Vol. LV No. 29 THE UKRA1NIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 19, 1987 25 cents Demjanjuk fires O'Connor, Dissident warns U.S. psychiatrists then opts to reconsider to beware of Soviet propaganda JERSEY CITY, N.J. - John De­ to enable the new defense team to NEW YORK - Alexander Podra- mjanjuk, in a June 30 letter, discharged prepare its presentation of the case, binek, a founding member of the his chief defense attorney, Mark O'Con­ which was to begin July 27. Working Commission to Investigate the nor, noting "I am totally dissatisfied Mr. O'Connor, however, has con­ Use of Psychiatry for Political Purposes with your conduct of my defense, your tested his client's decision to fire him, has appealed to the American Psychia­ conduct with my family and your claiming that Mr. Demjanjuk did not tric Association, warning American conduct with defense funds." know what he was doing when he signed psychiatrists not to be deceived by The letter was hand-delivered to Mr. the letter of dismissal. Mr. O'Connor Soviet propaganda in its attempt to O'Connor, Mr. Demjanjuk's attorney was quoted in the press as saying the cover and disguise psychiatric abuse in for the last five years, on Friday, July former U.S. autoworker was "crest­ the Soviet Union. 10. fallen, confused, a man who didn't The appeal, released here by the In it Mr. Demjanjuk also stated: "I know what day it was," when he spoke Second Wor1d Press, an information demand that all files and any documents with him on Wednesday, July 8. network covering the USSR, was writ­ related to my case residing in the State "Until the court discharges me, I have ten in response to the recent invitation of Israel under your control or in your full responsibility for my client and his to American psychiatrists to visit the possession be turned over to Advocate life," the attorney said. Soviet Union. The invitation was ex­ Yoram Sheftel immediately." All files Mr. O'Connor told a news conference tended by a top Soviet official, Alexan­ and documents in the United States in Jerusalem on July 12 that he had der Yakovlev of the Department of were to be turned over to John Gill. asked the trial judges to find out from Propaganda and Agitation of the Com­ "I further demand explanations and Mr. Demjanjuk whether he realizes the munist Party's Center Committee, accountings of all monies received and implications of his decision. A special during his meeting with Charles Wick, disbursed by you during the period of hearing was held Wednesday, July 15, director of the United States Informa­ time that you represented me," the letter to determine Mr. Demjanjuk's in­ tion Agency, in Moscow on June 5. to Mr. O'Connor concluded. tentions. Mr. Yakovlev stated that American Mr. Demjanjuk also sent a letter to During that hearing, according to the psychiatrists will be given the chance to the Israeli court hearing his case to UNCHAIN (Ukrainian National Ce­ become acquainted with Soviet psy­ notify that body of Mr. O'Connor's nter: History and Information Net­ chiatry first-hand and to convince dismissal, effective immediately. This work) observer who is providing re­ themselves that it is not used as an letter, also dated June 30, notified the ports on the Demjanjuk trial to Svo- instrument of repression of dissidents. court that John Br0adley, a Wash­ boda and The Weekly, the matter was In his appeal Mr. Podrabinek, 34, a ington attorney was added to the left undecided. doctor's assistant who had spent three defense team "from this day forward." Presiding Judge Dov Levin advised and a half years in Soviet prison camps The court was asked for additional time (Continued on page 3) and two years in internal exile for his Alexander Podrabinek attempts to inform wor1d public opi­ my friends in France have informed me, nion about Soviet psychiatric abuse, you have accepted this proposal. East European Canadians hail described the numerous difficulties Further, as far as I have heard, you have which might be encountered by Ame­ put forth some conditions which would rican psychiatrists if they attempt to facilitate conducting a more objective Criminal Code amendments make an independent assessment of the examination: the participation of your TORONTO - Reaction among Ca­ war criminals li any were iound in condition of individuals who had been interpreters and the presence of inmate's nadians of East European origin to the Canada had generated a heated debate pronounced insane and interned in relatives. We can only welcome your government's amendments to the Cri­ between East European and Jewish Soviet psychiatric hospitals for their desire to carry out the forthcoming minal Code to provide Canadian communities. When the government dissident opinions. Mr. Podrabinek work as best as possible. Let me express Courts with jurisdiction to prosecute opted for a "made in Canada" solution authored the book "Punitive Medicine." some of my thoughts on the subjects. war criminals in Canada has been in its response to the recommendations Mr. Podrabinek emphasized that the For the last 15 years I have quite uniformly positive, according to the of the Deschenes Commission, it be­ invitation is but one more propaganda carefully studied the problem of in­ Ukrainian Canadian Committee. came clear that the option of denatural- ploy to facihtate the return of the A11- carcerating individuals in psychiatric ization, extradition, and deportation Union Society of Neuropathologists hospitals for political reasons. Indi­ "It was our position from the very and Psychiatrists to the Wor1d Psy­ start" said John Gregorovich, chairman had been dropped. Now that Minister vidually, and with others, I undertook of Justice Ray Hnatyshyn, has tabled chiatric Association. all possible steps and great efforts to of the Civil Liberties Commission of the In 1983 the Soviets were forced to Ukrainian Canadian Committee, "that the proposed amendments that will uproot this barbarian practice, abhor­ allow the attorney general of Canada to leave the Wor1d Psychiatric Association rent to medical science. These circum­ ail alleged war criminals found in because of international pressure to Canada, regardless of their ethnic, begin proceeding, the controversy is stances gives me hope that you will read expected to die down. stop psychiatric abuse for political this letter with the attention it deserves. religious, or racial backgrounds should purposes. be identified and prosecuted in Ca­ "We are very happy that the Ca­ The problem of psychiatric abuse for nadian courts to the full extent of nadian Government rejected the Ame­ Over 100 individuals known by name political purposes has two sides. We Canadian criminal law." rican approach that denies due process are still being held in psychiatric in­ most certainly protest against incar­ to accused individuals," said A1 Pa- stitutions for political or religious cerating healthy individuals in psy­ "The Deschenes Commission recom- cevicius, a lawyer and the National dissent. chiatric hospitals for political reasons. ended this route, the Minister of President of the Lithuanian Canadian The full text of Mr. Podrabinek's This is the simplest and most under­ Justice agreed, and now we have the Community. letter follows. standable position for the entire wor1d. machinery for proceeding to com­ The United States' Office of Special However, here in the Soviet Union we mence. We are particularly pleased that Investigations, an agency in the De­ consider it inhumane to intern those government acted so quickly to resolve partment of Justice that investigates individuals about whose mental con­ this matter and that only the federal persons accused of war crimes, has Dear Colleagues: dition a conclusion, cannot be made with Attorney General will have the re­ stripped away citizenship and deported certainty, or even those who are truly sponsibility for initiating any war defendants for breaking immigration Recently I have learned of the pro­ mentally ill, into psychiatric hospitals crimes trials. This should minimize the laws. posal which Alexander Yakovlev con­ for political and not medical reasons. likelihood of unfounded allegations and "This amendment is a landmark in veyed to you through Charles Wick to We consider the major and only correct discord among Canada's ethnic com­ the annals of Canadian, and interna­ examine the inmates of Soviet psy­ criterion for forcibly interning these munities." tional, justice," concluded Mr. Pace- chiatric hospitals, who, as you believe, individuals to be their danger to society. The issue of what to do with alleged vicius. were interned without justification, As (Continued on pa^e 14) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 19. 1987 No. 29 A GLIMPSE OF SOVIET REALITY OgorodnJkov speaks on difficulties faced by newly released dissidents Ukrainian ideological secretary MOSCOW - Soviet dissident Alek- sander Ogorodnikov, recently freed comments on cultural policy under a Kremlin pardon, told reporters by Roman Solchanyk the practice of administrative bans and on *uly 11 that police had ordered him volitional decisions is not accepted. to leave Moscow despite the fact that The Ukrainian Party leadership, in "But in the process of reviewing dated there was no place in the Soviet Union the person of newly appointed ideo­ judgements and stereotypes, there must wher-e he could legally go, reported logical secretery Yurii N. Yelchenko, be clear adherence to Marxist-Leninist Reuters on 'uly 12. has finally responded to the ferment methodology, class principles and The 37-year-old religious activist, that has been browing for more than a party-mindedness, and high profes­ who served eight and a half years in year among Ukrainian writers and sionalism." prison and labor camp for organizing a other cultural figures in the republic.