Walter Keim, E-Mail: wake@online.no
Almbergskleiva 64
NO-6657
Rindal, 19.6.2015
Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC)
PO Box 68543
London SW15 9FP
UNITED KINGDOM
Subject: Campaign: NORWAY MUST FULLY RESPECT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, says the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights
Dear Mental Disability Advocacy Center,
thank you for your publication about the visit and report of the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights in Norway (1).
Thank you for for your legal opinion showing that Norway should withdraw reservations to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), because they undermine the very object and purpose of the CRPD.
I agree that this it "is unacceptable for a country such as Norway, which has a global reputation promoting and protecting human rights". Therefore I wrote to the Norwegian Prime Minister as you suggested.
In order to make it easier for other people to support this letter to the Norwegian Prime minister, I started a campaign (2).
In addition I would like to draw your attention that 5 UN Committees are concerned about reducing and removing coercion in psychiatry in Norway (3).
“Compared with other European countries, Norway ranks the highest when it comes to the use of compulsory commitment” in mental health treatment (page 44, reference 6) .
The Committee against Torture asks Norway in its List of issues due 2016 to indicate:
(a) “Whether the use of restraints and the enforced administration of intrusive and irreversible treatments such as neuroleptic drugs and electroconvulsive therapy has been abolished in law...”
Norways answer has so far been to wait for the results of a National Strategy to reduce coercion in Psychiatry (2012-2015). Results has so far not exceeded 5 to 7 % per year. However since year 2000 it was known that coercion in psychiatry raises human rights questions and there have been plans to reduce coercion in psychiatry. The overall result was an increase of a third from 2000 to 2015 (4).
I send a copy to Norwegian civil society shareholders to keep them informed.
Regards
Walter Keim
Copy: Prime Minister of Norway (ref. 2015/815), Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion (ref. 2015/2134), Directorate of health (ref. 2015/581)
PS: MDACs legal opinion was filed by the Prime Ministers Office reference 2013/1135 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ref. 2011/11385)
References (documentation):
NORWAY MUST FULLY RESPECT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SAYS the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks: http://www.mdac.info/en/news/norway-must-fully-respect-rights-people-disabilities-says-muiznieks
Campaign: NORWAY MUST FULLY RESPECT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: http://www.causes.com/campaigns/93254-make-norway-respect-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities
5 UN committees have criticized Norway and suggested to respect human rights of persons with psychososial disabilities: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/UN_coercion.html
Reduction of coercion failed from 2000 to 2015 (Reduksjon av tvang feilet i 15 år): http://wkeim.bplaced.net/files/reduksjon_av_tvang.html
Reporting status for Norway for all Conventions: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/Countries.aspx?CountryCode=NOR&Lang=EN
Compulsory Mental Health Care in Norway: A Study of the Interface between the Law and Psychiatry. Rigmor Randi Diseth cand.jur. (2013) https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/35828/dravhandling-diseth.pdf
-- Walter Keim Netizen: http://sites.google.com/site/walterkeim/no NORWAY MUST FULLY RESPECT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: https://www.causes.com/campaigns/93254-make-norway-respect-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities