MindFreedom contacted Ray’s state and federal elected officials, including Satveer S. Chaudhary, to ask about Ray’s campaign against his ongoing involuntary electroshock, also known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. At first the jury was out about Sen. Chaudhary’s position. The jury is back: Sen. Satveer S. Chaudhary refused to issue a statement and refused to meet with advocates in his office. When MindFreedom Director David W. Oaks walked into his private office, Sen. Chaudhary immediately summoned police.

State Sen. Satveer Chaudhary represents Ray SandfordName:  Satveer S. Chaudhary, Minnesota State Representative

City/State: Office is in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Connection to Ray’s case: State Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary is supposed to represent Ray in the Minnesota State Senate.

MindFreedom contacted Sen. Chaudhary about the forced electroshock of his constituent, Ray Sandford, and the general policy issue of involuntary outpatient electroshock in Minnesota.

Sen. Chaudhary has not issued a public statement of concern about forced electroshock in general, or of his constituent Ray Sandford.

On 1 May 2009, when a nine-person MindFreedom delegation arrived at his office, his staff tried to prevent the delegation from entering, though they did anyway.

MindFreedom Director David W. Oaks opened the door to Sen. Chaudhary’s private office, and gave him material about Ray Sandford. Sen. Chaudhary immediately called Capitol security. Mr. Oaks said to Sen. Chaudhary, “I just wanted to know your real attitude about this, and now I know.”

Public position on Ray Sandford’s forced outpatient electroshock: Unknown.

Public position in general on outpatient involuntary electroshock over expressed wishes of subject: Unknown.

IMPORTANT NOTE: MindFreedom and Ray endorse nonviolence principles. Even if an individual or agency opposes Ray’s human rights, MindFreedom and Ray ask that any communication be civil. 

Action:

Please contact Sen. Chaudhary with a civil message to speak out about the involuntary outpatient maintenance electroshock of his constituent, Ray Sandford.

Sen. Satveer Chaudhary
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 205
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606

phone: 651.296.4334

e-mail: sen.satveer.chaudhary@senate.mn

please copy your e-mail to assistant Sumbal Mahmud at: Sumbal.Mahmud@senate.mn

More information:

Here is the chronology of contact with this State Senator’s office about Ray Sandford.

  • 9 March 2009: MindFreedom contacted Sen. Chaudhary’s office.
  • On the same day, his assistant Sumbal Mahmud asked to speak on the phone about this matter.
  • Soon after, MindFreedom director David Oaks talked with Ms. Mahmud on the phone.
  • Since then MindFreedom has contacted Ms. Mahmud more than half a dozen times asking for any statement of concern or agreement to meet. However, there has been no substantive reply.
  • 16 March 2009: Ms. Mahmud said, “I will contact you when/if we need more information.  Thanks.’
  • 30 March 2009: Ms. Mahmud said, “I just spoke to the Senator, he says he is not ready to make a comment yet.” She said the Sen. could not commit to meet about the Ray Sandford matter.
  • 1 May 2009: When a MindFreedom delegation of nine, including a person in a wheelchair and one with a walker, showed up to at the State Senator’s office, his staff tried to prevent them from entering. They entered anyway, and Ms. Mahmud held a three-person private conference about this in her office. David W. Oaks, Director of MindFreedom, walked into Sen. Chaudhary’s office anyway, and Sen. Chaudhary immediately summoned security.

For more information about Sen. Chaudhary, see:

http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?district=50&status=active

Sen. Chaudhary is one of several elected officials who directly represent Ray Sandford’s district who MindFreedom has contacted.

Here is a link to those elected officials who represent those at Ray’s address:

http://tinyurl.com/ray-elected-officials


Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of the author, based on reports from Ray Sandford and allies, to the best of their knowledge. If there is any dispute of the facts, please let MindFreedom know.