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Shield Update 2/19/2025

We have added contact information for individuals. Concerned individuals can now write. Scroll down to read under ‘Call to Action’

Shield Alert 1/21/2025

Free Artem: Sixteen-Year Old War Refugee Living in Denmark Institutionalized and Forcibly Drugged!

On 1/20/2025, a U.S. federal holiday dedicated to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., MindFreedom International received a letter (see copy of letter below highlighted in red) from a Ukrainian mother, Lara Shavkan, asking other Shield members to help her protect her son, Artem Shavkan, from psychiatric abuse. Lara and Artem are Ukrainian refugees living in Denmark. The psychiatric abuse is taking place  in Denmark, a nation that has ratified the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) which expressly prohibits any forced psychiatric intervention.

Artem Shavkan is an enrolled member of MindFreedom’s Shield program. Artem was violently taken from his mother and he is currently being incarcerated in a facility called “Poseidon.” While there, he is being deprived of opportunities to pursue his education and he is subjected to solitary confinement. According to his mother, Artem’s visits with his mother are limited to fifteen minutes per month and he is currently being subjected to a powerful neuroleptic drug called ‘Abilify’ (aripiprazole)

Lara’s son has what she calls ‘autistic traits.’ At this writing MFI does not know if her son has has been given an official diagnosis.

Lara activated Artem’s Shield and asks for help protecting her son from forced, psychiatric drugging.

You can hear an audio recording of Lara’s plea for help by clicking

Audio Player

You can also view a video recording of Lara HERE.

What appears below is an excerpt from letter written by Lara Shavkan to MindFreedom dated 1/20/25:

Dear representatives of Shield Alert of Mind Freedom International

I ask for assistance and help to save my child.

We are Ukrainian family, who escaped from the war in Ukraine to Denmark in March 2022.

My son Artem was violently taken away from home because of his autistic traits in March 2023.

He has been isolated without school, communication, internet and phone. He is physically punished by the staff of Bostedet Poseidon and punished with a hunger. As a result, he has strong convulsive ticks and stomach pain.

He can see his mother once a month for 15 minutes.

Poseidon for 8 times during 2 months pushed psychiatrists to prescribe the child antipsychotic medication. But psychiatrists refused, because the child doesn’t have relevant psychiatric illness.

Now he is sedated with Abilify so much, that he is in bed most of the time, but he is forbidden to tell his protest.

Authorities ignore his mother’s requirements. The child is 16 now, but he is not allowed to take part in a court as a party in his case, though he is normal intellectually and speaks English fluently.

In Ukraine before the war the child went to ordinary school, took part in international music competitions, had normal life and never took antipsychotic medicine.

Against of the background of poor health, poor nutrition and constant stress, 15 mg of Abilify kills the child.

I beg you to save my child.

 


Call to Action

Call or write to the headmaster of Fonden Bostedet Poseidon

Headmaster Morten Glerup Maagaard –

Tel: +45 44101300email: morten@bostedetposeidon.dk

Poseidon, address: Asylgade 12, stuen, 7700 Thisted, Denmark.

 

2.  Psychiatry Department in Aalborg, chief physician Linda Hardisty Bramsen – email: psykiatri@rn.dk

 

3.   Alles Hurup hospital, pediatrician Per Tonny Schou – email: praksis@rn.dk

 

4.  Department of Social Affairs, director Erik Kaastrup Hansen –
email: erka@aarhus.dk and leader Anette Poulsen – email: anette.byr@aarhus.dk


For the time being, some phone numbers are available but we do not know if voicemails in English will be understood by all of the recipients. If you do attempt to call, please note that the country code for Denmark is “45”.

At this writing, MFI does not know how to instruct Shield members from the USA, how to properly address the recipient (where the line spaces go in the recipient field)

When you call or write, consider these points:

According to his mother, Artem’s health has deteriorated significantly since being institutionalized and forcibly drugged with ‘Abilify’

The psychiatric abuse is taking place  in Denmark, a nation that has ratified the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) which expressly prohibits any forced psychiatric intervention.

The dangers of Abilify (aripiprazole) are well documented. Psychiatric survivors who have experienced adverse reactions to this drug or who are withdrawing from it created a forum to give and receive mutual support HERE.

Denmark has accepted 40,000 Ukrainian war refugees to date. Ukrainian refugees must apply for a temporary residence permit to be eligible for live in Denmark  On the website of the United Nation’s Refugee Agency HERE, refugees are warned about exploitation involving human trafficking. They are not warned, however, about the dangers of exploitation through institutions which make money by incarcerating individuals with disabilities and subjecting them to harmful psychiatric drug ‘treatment’.

Refugees around the world are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Often, due to the rules of a host country, victims of abuse experience pressure not to alert the authorities when they are being threatened or harmed out of fear that their application for temporary residence will be denied by their host country. We do not know if this is the case with Lara but we do know that many refugees are afraid to ‘bite the hand that feeds them.’

Some studies such as this one HERE have linked refugees with higher incidents of ‘psychosis’. We can assume that studies showing a link between refugees and ‘psychosis’ will probably not make it more likely that refugees will receive, humane, trauma-informed alternatives to drugging. More likely, these studies will simply be used to justify mass, neuroleptic drugging of refugees. MFI is in solidarity with all  individuals with disabilities, including refugees who seek non-medicalized support to help them deal with past trauma.

At this writing, MindFreedom does not know if Lara’s son is alleged to have a ‘psychotic disorder’. or whether he is being drugged ‘off label’ for another alleged disorder. Most likely, the drugs are being used to sedate him and control him because he doesn’t like being subjected to solitary confinement and removed from the community and company of his family. We also don’t know if his current confinement is compounding earlier traumatic instances, such war-related separations from family members or friends, being exposed to bombing raids, or spending time in bomb shelters.

The movement for rights in the mental health system is a worldwide movement. Traumatized individuals, including war trauma survivors need humane, rights-based support such as housing, education, and legal assistance. It is legally possible in most Western European nations to subject people with disabilities and trauma victims to institutionalization and forced psychiatric interventions.

Please help Artern today by taking action.

5 Comments

  1. 3/11/2025 I received the following reply from Annette Poulsen regarding Artem Shavkan:

    MSB-Fagligt-Sekretariat
    4:40 AM (1 hour ago)
    to me

    Dear Philip A. Kumin

    Thank you for your inquiry.

    I am unable to comment on individual cases.

    Kind regards

    Anette Poulsen

    Alderman for Social Affairs and Employment, Aarhus Municipality

  2. Conversation opened. 1 read message.

    Skip to content
    Using Gmail with screen readers
    in:sent

    1 of 7,739
    Artem Shavkan

    Regarding: Artem Shavkan

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    I am a volunteer for MindFreedom International, an organization that fights for human rights of individuals undergoing psychiatric treatment. I’m writing to you concerning the plight of Artem Shavkan, a sixteen year old Ukrainian boy being held in the Poseidon Institution in Denmark. It is our understanding that Artem is being held in solitary confinement and is being chemically assaulted with the antipsychotic drug Abilify even though he has not received a psychiatric diagnosis. As if forced drugging and incarceration and isolation were not ‘punishment’ enough, Artem is being denied regular visits with his mother. I am wondering if this is how Denmark treats all children who are seeking refuge from war?

    What is the purpose of depriving a child of his human rights? What is the purpose of subjecting a child with a powerful mind altering drug (Abilify) known to cause brain shrinkage? (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2767218)

    Besides brain shrinkage antipsychotics cause weight gain often leading to Type 2 Diabetes, Tardive Dyskinesia, Akathisia (often overlooked), and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome that can lead to death. These are just a few of the severe side effects of Abilify, a drug that will alter the course of Artem’s life Most people who have experienced forced drugging with antipsychotics and who have also experienced rape say the forced drugging is far more intrusive and traumatizing than rape. As a sexual assault survivor there are things worse than rape and that is forced drugging. What gives anyone the right to rob someone of their agency and bodily autonomy?

    Artem is not the only victim here. His mother is being held “captive” too. What purpose does it serve to separate a mother from her child especially when they are in foreign country because their country is being bombed? The relationship between a mother and her child is sacred. It’s the first bond a child has in life. What purpose does it serve the country of Denmark to break the sacred bonds between a mother and her child. It is no different than the family separation policies the USA instituted at our Southern Border in 2018. Like Artem those children and their families were escaping violence in their home country. Sadly those children and their parents are still impacted to this day and will be for life. Does Denmark want to do the same to Artem and his mother? https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2018posts/family-separation-US-border.html

    While Artem is being incarcerated and drugged, what is happening with his education? Is he able to learn while under the influence of an unwanted powerful mind altering agent? Are you providing him with tutors? As you know, an education is paramount for a successful life. What is being done about Artem’s studies? How are you ensuring his future financial success when he is being deprived of his rightful education?

    Artem has already experienced more tragedy and trauma than most people endure in a lifetime. I cannot believe that psychiatrists in Denmark are causing even more pain and suffering to Artem and his mother and family. Is the European Union aware you are incarcerating a child war refugee against his will? In case you need a reminder of the European Union views of forced treatment I have provided you a link https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/involuntary-placement-and-involuntary-treatment-of-persons-with-mental-health-problems_en.pdf

    I am writing to you today to beg you to please respect the human rights of Atrem and his mother by returning this child to his mother. Allow them to heal from the ravages of war together. I beg you to please not deprive Artem of his God given potential and set him free.

    Sincerely,
    Andrea Barnes

    mindfreedom international denmark ukranian war

  3. Artem Shavkan
    Inbox

    Philip Kumin
    11:11 PM (5 minutes ago)
    to morton, psykiatri

    1010 St. Paul Street
    Apartment 5R
    Baltimore, MD 21202
    U.S.A.

    (443) 850-6706
    p253kumin@gmail.com

    Dear Sir or Madam:

    I’m writing to you concerning the plight of Artem Shavkan, a sixteen
    year old Ukrainian boy being held in the Poseidon Institution in
    Denmark. We are being told that Artem is being kept in solitary
    confinement where he is forced to take a powerful antipsychotic, in
    spite of the fact that he has no psychiatric diagnosis. He’s not
    allowed to visit with his mother for more than 15 minutes each month.

    Why is Artem being kept locked up in solitary confinement where he is
    forced to take medication? Is he considered to be dangerous to
    others? Why isn’t he allowed to see his mother for more than 15
    minutes?

    For the love of God, and for the love of a child who has already seen
    too much tragedy in his life, please compassionately reconsider your
    treatments of him. Thank you so much.

    Philip A. Kumin

  4. These are emails of people, who I ask you to write, please:

    1. Fonden Bostedet Poseidon, headmaster Morten Glerup Maagaard – email: morten@bostedetposeidon.dk

    2. Psychiatry Department in Aalborg, chief physician Linda Hardisty Bramsen – email: psykiatri@rn.dk

    3. Alles Hurup hospital, pediatrician Per Tonny Schou – email: praksis@rn.dk

    4. Department of Social Affairs, director Erik Kaastrup Hansen – email: erka@aarhus.dk
    and leader Anette Poulsen – email: anette.byr@aarhus.dk

    Sincerelly,
    Lara, Artem mother.

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