A Russian court ruled last night that a US citizen cannot be held criminally liable for his actions in connection with an attack on a police officer and transferred him for treatment to a Russian psychiatric hospital, the Moscow City Court said, quoted by Reuters.
In a statement published on the "Telegram" app, the judicial service said that Joseph Teter had been cleared of responsibility in connection with the incident. He has been in custody since August last year.
The court ordered him to undergo "mandatory medical measures in a psychiatric hospital".
In a previous court ruling, it was announced that Teter had been diagnosed with a mental disorder requiring hospital treatment.
He was initially detained and jailed for 15 days for petty hooliganism after being accused of abusing employees at a Moscow hotel - an allegation the defendant denied.
According to news agencies about the court proceedings, Teter later attacked a police officer, which led to a new criminal case.
According to these reports, the American entered Russia with the intention of seeking political asylum, stating that he did not consider himself a US citizen and that he was being persecuted in the United States. He also asked diplomats present at the hearing to leave the courtroom.
Tater is one of several American citizens detained in Russia on various charges, Reuters notes.
Last week, Russian authorities released Ksenia Karelina, a dual US-Russian citizen who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for donating to a charity supporting Ukraine.
She was exchanged for Artur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen who the US has accused of running a global smuggling ring to sell electronics to the Russian military.