HDP: Parliament Should Investigate Public Health Impairing Factors

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Siirt MP Meral Danış Beştaş has brought the Ministry of Health report, which caused Asst. Prof. Bülent Şık to be sentenced to prison, into Parliamentary agenda.

"According to the research results, a great number of people are dying of cancer in the country and it is extremely striking that no precautions have been taken", Danış Beştaş has underlined.

CLICK - Bülent Şık Sentenced to 1 Year, 3 Months in Prison

bianet columnist and food engineer Asst. Prof. Bülent Şık disclosed the findings of a cancer research conducted by the Ministry of Health and has been given an undeferred prison sentence of 1 year and 3 months for "having disclosed information about his duty".

In her inquiry, Danış Beştaş reminded that Şık is charged with this offense "because he announced the findings of a research, which was conducted by the Ministry of Health in Kırklareli, Edirne, Tekirdağ and Antalya, but was not shared with the public by the Ministry itself".

"The research has demonstrated that environmental pollution prevailing in an area where 8 million people live have carcinogen effects on food and water", Danış Beştaş has said and continued as follows:

'Researchers have the right to publish results'

"However, since what is at stake here is public health and right to health, the Ministry needs to announce this data to the whole public and the necessary measures need to be taken immediately.

Even though the Ministry of Health, who had this research conducted, has not announced this data, it is beyond dispute that the scientists who conducted the research and detected the problems can continue their research without any interference and publish their results without any censorship. It is also what public good necessitates".

'Launch a Parliamentary investigation'

Within this context, HDP MP Danış Beştaş has requested that a Parliamentary investigation be launched "with the aim of specifying the regulations that will ensure that public health impairing factors are found out, the existing and future studies are evaluated, the measures that would eliminate the causes of cancer are specified and its different stages and treatment process are experienced under necessary conditions". (PT/SD)