American Joseph Tater Forcibly Committed to Psychiatric Hospital Ahead of Moscow Trial

An American citizen awaiting trial in Moscow has been forcibly committed to a psychiatric hospital, according to Russian state media reports published on April 6.

Joseph Tater, 46, was arrested in August 2024 after allegedly assaulting a police officer during a confrontation with staff at a luxury hotel in the Russian capital. Following a court-ordered medical evaluation on March 15, a Moscow court approved his involuntary admission to a psychiatric institution.

Doctors reportedly diagnosed Tater with symptoms including “tension, impulsivity, persecutory delusions, and a lack of awareness about his condition,” which formed the basis for the court’s decision.

Tater was originally due to stand trial on April 14 for assaulting a police officer, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of five years under Russian law, according to the Associated Press. He had previously served 15 days in jail for the same incident after being found guilty of “petty hooliganism” on administrative charges.

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His hospitalization comes shortly after his release from pre-trial detention in late March. It remains unclear when the court finalized the decision to move him to a psychiatric facility.

At a court hearing in September, Tater claimed he had traveled to Russia seeking political asylum, alleging persecution by the CIA.

His defense lawyer has appealed the psychiatric confinement order, accusing Russian authorities of trying to “isolate the defendant from society,” according to Russian state media.

It was previously reported that the Soviet-era tactic of using forced psychiatric treatment to silence dissent appears to be making a comeback in Russia, according to The Moscow Times.

Citing data from the Memorial Human Rights Center, the outlet reported that Russian courts have sentenced at least 49 individuals to involuntary psychiatric confinement on political grounds. Advocacy groups say the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin has increasingly revived this tactic to silence politically inconvenient individuals.