On June 10, 2011, after more than 26 years of internal discussion, the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council of the PRC published a draft mental health law, opening the process to public comment.  The draft elicited significant public comment – both domestically and internationally.  Of particular interest was Article 27 of the draft which permits involuntary commitment where an individual exhibits behavior that “disturbs public order” (扰乱公共秩序), with many calling for the Article’s abolishment.  On October 24, 2011, China Law & Policy sat down with Prof. Michael Perlin of New York Law School and director of the Mental Health Law Project.  Prof. Perlin discusses the history of mental health law in China, the danger ofof Article 27’s inclusion in the June 2011 draft and its violation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), an international treaty which China has ratified.

Prof. Michael Perlin

Click here to listen to the interview with Prof. Michael Perlin
Length: 31 minutes (audio will open in another browser)

Click here to open a PDF of the transcript of the Michael Perlin Interview

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