Doctor detained after refusing to examine prosecutor without appointment

"No service if there is violence" Photo: MA

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A doctor was summoned to the courthouse for allegedly refusing to examine a prosecutor without an appointment in Osmaniye, southern Turkey.

Kemal Gökhan Günel, an orthopedist at Osmaniye State Hospital, said on social media that a person who identified as a chief public prosecutor walked into his room and wanted to be examined without an appointment or a queue number.

The prosecutor, who was later identified as Mehmet Bülbül, told him that he was previously examined by a doctor and came for a check-up, said the doctor.

"I told him, 'You should get an appointment from your first doctor, your situation is not urgent.' The person made an attempt, saying, 'Don't advise me, you'll take care of me.'

"I was shocked. I said 'We can't examine you like this.' He said, 'I'm a chief public prosecutor, I'll cause trouble to you."

Günel said that he left the room after the prosecutor started shouting at him. The prosecutor was eventually taken out of his room by the hospital's security personnel, he said.

"Handcuffing behind the back"

Later, he learned that he was summoned to the courthouse, said the doctor. Police officers were ordered to handcuff him behind the back, he noted.

Doctors from the Osmaniye Medical Chamber went to the courthouse to support their colleague. Speaking to reporters there, Dr. Şemsi Soner Özdemir, the head of the chamber, said that Günel didn't commit an offense or insult the prosecutor.

Günel was released after testifying. Both sides filed a lawsuit against each other.

Many Twitter users posted messages supporting the doctor.

The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) also made a statement on Twitter, saying, "We condemn the psychological violence against our colleague at Osmaniye State Hospital by a prosecutor who engaged in misconduct."

Mesleki nüfuzunu kullanmaya dayalı bu zorbalık kabul edilemez! #SağlıktaŞiddetSonaErsin pic.twitter.com/z6nvhejIEm

— TürkTabipleriBirliği (@ttborgtr) April 12, 2021

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