Hindrance of HIV+ refugee’s treatment brought to parliamentary agenda
An opposition deputy has drafted a parliamentary question regarding the situation of Ahmed Aabo, an HIV positive Syrian refugee whose access to treatment is allegedly being hindered due to bureaucratic obstacles at a removal center.
İskender Bayhan’s inquiry, directed at Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, highlights issues faced by refugees under temporary protection status, focusing on the rights violations encountered by Aabo.
HIV positive Syrian refugee ‘left for dead’ in İstanbul removal center
"Aaabo’s situation exemplifies the broader systemic issues," said Bayhan. "The revocation of his temporary protection status and the subsequent bureaucratic hurdles that prevented him from accessing essential medication are clear violations of international human rights standards."
Aabo, who fled Syria in 2011 during the war, was granted temporary protection status upon his arrival in Turkey. However, after he was diagnosed as HIV positive after donating blood to the Turkish Red Crescent eight months ago, he started receiving treatment at an İstanbul hospital but soon faced severe bureaucratic obstacles.
Aabo's temporary protection status was deactivated under the G-78 restriction code, which is applied to foreigners deemed public health threats due to infectious diseases. Turkey hosts over 3.5 million Syrians who fled from the war under 'temporary protection status' rather than granting them full asylum. The deactivation barred him from accessing his HIV medication. Attempts to resolve his status led to his detention and transfer between various removal centers, significantly deteriorating his health due to the lack of consistent medical care.
Aabo's lawyer, Hasan Kocapınar, has been actively working against these administrative decisions. Speaking to bianet, Kocapınar had described the situation as a blatant human rights violation, stressing that Aabo's life was at risk without proper medical treatment. "Ahmed's health has severely deteriorated due to the deprivation of his right to treatment and erroneous administrative actions," he stated.
The lawyer also highlighted that Aabo only has a three-month supply of medication left and stressed the importance of restoring his treatment access immediately to prevent further health deterioration.
Questions to the minister
In his parliamentary question, Bayhan posed several queries to the Interior Minister:
1. Will the decision to revoke protection status for individuals with infectious diseases, which contradicts the Geneva Convention, be reversed?
2. How many refugees have had their protection status revoked due to health issues like Aabo's?
3. What steps will be taken to ensure that individuals with medical needs receive their necessary treatments without interruption?
4. What punitive measures are in place for those responsible for violating refugees' health rights in Removal Centers?
5. Will there be an initiative to open Removal Centers to regular inspections by civil society organizations?
6. What measures are in place to protect individuals from deportation if they risk losing access to essential health services or facing mistreatment in their home countries? (EMK/VK)