A Moscow court on Monday ordered that U.S.
citizen Joseph Tater be committed to a psychiatric hospital for compulsory treatment after he was accused of attacking a police officer last year.The judge ruled Tater unfit to stand trial and approved a prosecution request for him to undergo compulsory medical treatmentat a specialized inpatient psychiatric facility.His lawyertold reporters that she plans to appeal the ruling, which was handed down at a closed-door hearing.
Tater, 46, wasarrestedin Moscow in August and charged with assaulting a police officer after allegedly harassing employees of the hotel where he was staying.He had already been transferred from pre-trial detention to a psychiatric ward before Mondays ruling.At a court hearing in September, Tatersaidhe wished to renounce his U.S.
citizenship and demanded that embassy officials leave.
He also claimed the CIA had targeted him for years, according to Russian media.His lawyer told the judge that his client had traveled to Russia to seek political asylum due to persecution by U.S.
authorities.Russia has arrested several U.S.
citizens in recent years on charges ranging from espionage and discrediting the Russian army to petty theft and domestic disputes.