Lithuania investigates psychiatrist for refusing to treat child in Russian

Lithuanian Minister of Social Protection and Labor Inga Ruginienė is referring a case to the Prosecutor General’s Office involving a child psychiatrist, Linas Slušnys, who refused to counsel a child in Russian.

The child, who was reportedly in severe distress and at risk of suicide, sought help from multiple facilities before being denied assistance by Slušnys because they could not communicate in Lithuanian. The Lithuanian Child Rights Service stated that the psychiatrist rejected offers to provide an interpreter. Minister Ruginienė and the head of the Child Rights Service, Ilma Skuodienė, expressed shock at the incident, with the Ministry investigating potential violations of criminal law regarding the failure to provide assistance to a person in danger and possible discrimination.

Linas Slušnys, a former member of the Seimas (Parliament), has defended his actions. He accused child rights advocates of being ‘Russian collaborators’ and claimed that the advocates refused to provide a translator. Slušnys argued that the child, a Lithuanian citizen living in Lithuania, should be able to speak the national language.