Physicians from Mersin: Release Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp

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The Medical Chamber of Turkey's Mediterranean province of Mersin has demanded fair trial for Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp, a member of the Turkish Medical Association's (TTB) High Honorary Board.

The chamber held a press conference for Gökalp, who was arrested on November 23, 2020. Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Mersin Chair Mahmut Sümbül and Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (SES) Mersin Co-Chair Özge Göncü also attended the conference.

Behind bars in Diyarbakır Type D Prison, Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp has been indicted by the prosecutor's office. While 54 pages of the 55-page indictment allege that the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) is an "illegal entity", it demands up to 15 years in prison for the arrested physician.

As the indictment has been accepted by the Diyarbakır 10th Heavy Penal Court, Dr. Gökalp will have his first hearing on February 10, 2021.

'He was arrested without evidence'

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), reading out the statement regarding the continued imprisonment of Dr. Gökalp today (January 11), Mersin Medical Chamber Chair Mehmet Antmen demanded fair trial for their colleague Şeyhmus Gökalp and his release pending trial.

Antmen noted that the court ruled for Gökalp's arrest in an unfair and unjust way that had nothing to do with the law and without any concrete evidence. Reminding his audience that Dr. Gökalp was arrested based on the statements of an informant who turned oneself in 2016, Antmen said:

"There are binding judgements of the Court of Cassation, Constitutional Court and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) concluding that such statements cannot be considered criminal evidence. However, despite all this, Gökalp is not released in an unlawful manner."

Mersin Medical Chamber Chair further underlined that international organizations such as the the World Medical Association (WMA), Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) and International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) as well as the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, which was created by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Right (FIDH), addressed letters to the Presidency, Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, Health Ministry and Turkey's Ambassadors to the United Nations and European Union, requesting the release of Dr. Gökalp.

"Our High Honorary Board Member Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp is innocent, we stand by him in his righteous struggle," read the statement further.

Underlining that prison conditions have turned into a form of punishment amid COVID-19 pandemic conditions, the Mersin Medical Chamber demanded the release of Gökalp pending trial and his fair trial.

What happened?

Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp, the High Honorary Board member and former Central Council member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), was arrested on November 23 as part of an investigation into the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Speaking to bianet about the issue, Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch Chair Abdullah Zeytun previously said, "He has been accused with his human rights defending activities and medical profession being criminalized. The offenses charged are inconceivable, he has been arrested without seeking any material and concrete evidence."

After the TTB made a statement of "War is a public health problem", the police launched an operation against the Association on January 30, 2018. Dr. Gökalp, the then Central Council member of the TTB, was among the detained physicians. The physicians were released after giving statements at the prosecutor's office and judgeship. (AS/SD)