Professor Aktan has written an update to his previous blog about a new Turkish law which forbids medical treatment of injured protesters without state permission.
The law is now signed by the President and is in action. The threat of imprisonment and a fine is real for Turkish medical staff. The Turkish Medical Association will try further actions to stop the law. The law can be stopped by the Constitutional Court. However, an application to the Constitutional Court must be made by the main opposition party. The main opposition party has agreed to take the law to the Constitutional Court, but the procedure may take a year.
See also:
- Editorial: Attacks on medical personnel in Turkey
- Personal view: Tear gas is a chemical weapon, and Turkey should not use it to torture civilians
- Personal view: Protests in Turkey, state violence, and how doctors are helping: it’s about much more than a park
Competing interests: I declare that I have read and understood BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and I have no relevant interest to declare.
Ahmet Ozdemir Aktan is professor of surgery, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey and the president of the Turkish Medical Association.