Parliament Passes Bill to Protect Health Workers from Violence

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The parliament yesterday (April 15) passed a bill to protect health workers from violence amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The law will strengthen penalties for violence towards healthcare workers.

Under the law, penalties for threatening, insulting, injuring, or hindering healthcare workers from doing their duties are increased by a half.

In these crimes, the provisions of the postponement of the prison sentence according to the Turkish Penal Code and the deferment of the announcement according to the Criminal Procedure Code will not be applied.

In the health agency where the violence takes place, if there are other healthcare personnel who can provide services to the perpetrators or their relatives, the service will be provided by that personnel.

Turkey has so far reported 69,392 Covid-19 cases, and the death toll stands at 1,518. (EKN/VK)