Marina Voikhanskaya

Soviet psychiatrist and human rights activist

Marina Voikhanskaya in her later years

Marina Voikhanskaya (born 1934) is a Soviet-born psychiatrist and human rights activist known for her work in exposing the abuse of psychiatry for political purposes in the Soviet Union. Her efforts contributed significantly to the international awareness of psychiatric abuse in the USSR and the broader human rights movement.

Early Life and Education

Marina Voikhanskaya was born in 1934 in the Soviet Union. She pursued a career in medicine, specializing in psychiatry. Her early experiences in the Soviet medical system exposed her to the misuse of psychiatric institutions for the suppression of political dissent.

Career in Psychiatry

Voikhanskaya worked as a psychiatrist in the Soviet Union during a time when the government frequently used psychiatric hospitals to detain and silence dissidents. She became increasingly aware of the ethical violations occurring within her field and began to speak out against these practices.

Human Rights Activism

In the 1970s, Voikhanskaya became involved with the Moscow Helsinki Group, an organization dedicated to monitoring Soviet compliance with the Helsinki Accords. Her activism focused on documenting and publicizing cases of political abuse of psychiatry. She provided information to international human rights organizations, which helped to bring global attention to the issue.

Defection to the West

In 1977, Voikhanskaya defected to the United Kingdom, where she continued her advocacy work. Her defection was a significant event, as it provided a credible voice from within the Soviet psychiatric system to testify about the abuses occurring there. In the UK, she worked with various human rights organizations and continued to speak out against the misuse of psychiatry.

Legacy and Impact

Voikhanskaya's efforts were instrumental in raising awareness about the political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union. Her work contributed to international pressure on the Soviet government to reform its practices. She is remembered as a courageous advocate for human rights and ethical medical practices.

Marina Voikhanskaya with her bike Henry in 2012

Later Life

In her later years, Voikhanskaya continued to live in the United Kingdom, where she remained active in human rights circles. She has been recognized for her contributions to the field of psychiatry and her unwavering commitment to justice and human rights.

Related Pages

• Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union
• Moscow Helsinki Group
• Helsinki Accords