CCHR Raises Its Voice against the World Psychiatric Association in Prague
A force of 220 CCHR protesters marched through the streets to the Prague Congress Centre, chanting, “Hey, hey, WPA, stop the torture. Stop today!” and, “Hey, hey, WPA, how many kids have you drugged today?” Their message was direct and unwavering.
Since 1994, CCHR Czech Republic has investigated inhumane practices and worked with politicians, ministry officials and other leaders to improve conditions, regulate activities and stem abuses within the mental health system.
One significant victory came in reforming involuntary hospitalizations. Psychiatric estimates indicated that 40–60 percent of hospitalizations in the Czech Republic were involuntary, yet no accurate reporting system existed. After CCHR Czech Republic worked with the Council of Europe’s Monitoring Committee and the Office of the Ombudsman, statistics on involuntary hospitalization were introduced, cage beds were banned and restraints were significantly restricted—a win for patients’ rights.
Yet abuses remain and so, on this day, CCHR members marched to raise awareness of ongoing harmful practices. “The psychiatrists saw us. They heard us. We delivered the message,” said one volunteer.
A police officer who was on-site watching the march said he wanted the drugging of children to stop and agreed that “childhood is not a disease.”
Coinciding with the march, CCHR also staged its Psychiatry: An Industry of Death traveling exhibit. Visitors were shocked by the scale of involuntary treatment and the financial incentives behind psychiatric schemes. A 17-year-old student wrote: “I was disgusted by the experiments carried out on people without their consent.” A woman echoed the sentiment: “I thought psychiatry helped people. But now I see that it’s about money and not about helping.” A woman who had envisioned becoming a psychiatrist stated: “I am absolutely outraged that what I considered a noble profession is being used to hurt people for money.”
The exhibit sparked strong reactions and appreciation. One visitor congratulated CCHR because “CCHR helps people fight for their rights and restores their dignity. It helps where others turn a blind eye.”
Through the march and exhibit, CCHR once again highlighted its ongoing mission: exposing psychiatric abuses and protecting patients’ rights across the globe. Find out how individuals from all corners of the world are making this mission a reality at Scientology.TV/CCHR.
TAKING ACTION
Hold a Lifesaving Screening
CCHR’s latest documentary, Prescription for Violence: Psychiatry’s Deadly Side Effects, is a must-see exposé revealing the dangerous consequences of psychiatric drugging. Take action by bringing this eye-opening documentary to your community.
By hosting a screening, you give friends, family, colleagues, teachers and neighbors a firsthand look at how psychotropic drugs have destroyed lives, shattered families and fueled violence and suicide. It’s not just a documentary—it is a wake-up call.
Take action now: organize a screening in your home, workplace, school, cinema or local community center. Share the knowledge. Start conversations. Every screening has the potential to save a life.
Visit our store to get your copy of Prescription for Violence: Psychiatry’s Deadly Side Effects. The time to act is now—don’t let another life be lost to a senseless act of violence fueled by psychiatric drugs.
END PSYCHIATRIC ABUSE
As a nonprofit mental health industry watchdog, CCHR relies on memberships and donations to carry out its mission to eradicate psychiatric violations of human rights and to clean up the field of mental health. To become part of the world’s largest movement for mental health reform, join the group that has helped enact hundreds of laws protecting citizens from abusive psychiatric practices.
