Prosecutor demands dismissal of Turkish Medical Association executives

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The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's office has demanded the dismissal of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) executives and the election of new board members.

Filing a lawsuit with the Ankara 31st Civil Court of First Instance, the prosecutor's office stated, "Using the official title of the President of the Central Executive Committee of the TTB, Şebnem Korur-Fincancı makes statements without official documents and any other evidence."

The lawsuit came after the arrest of TTB Chair Korur-Fincancı because of her comments about the recent "chemical attack" accusations against Türkiye.

She was detained on Wednesday (October 26) during a raid on her home and was remanded in custody yesterday for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli, heavily criticized Korur-Fincancı over her remarks. Erdoğan on Tuesday signaled new legislation about professional organizations, while Bahçeli demanded the "heaviest penalties" on the TTB board members.

Commenting about the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) accusations against Türkiye in a live TV interview on October 20, Korur-Fincancı said, "I have examined the videos. Obviously, toxic gasses that directly [affect] the nervous system have been used," adding that an international investigation should be launched into the allegations.

She later criticized Medya Haber for reporting her comments as the "confirmation" of the allegations.

About Şebnem Korur-Fincancı

Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur-Fincancı is a rights advocate and the Chair of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV). The Foundation has been involved in the documentation of the cases of torture, rehabilitation of its victims and provision of legal assistance to them.

Şebnem Korur Fincancı is also one of the founding members of the Forensic Doctors' Association and has played the major role in the development of the United Nations reference standards on the investigation and documentation of the cases of torture, the Istanbul Protocol.

She has conducted forensic investigations to expose torture in multiple countries and in 2014 she received the International Hrant Dink Award. She has also been one of the founders of the Turkish Penal Code Association.

Devoting her professional life to the investigation and documentation of torture as well as struggle against it, Korur Fincancı has become one of the milestones in Turkey in that regard. Preparing reports on cases of torture and writing on medical ethics in the 1990s, when torture was prevalent in Turkey, she was met with the oppression and preventions by the state.

In 1997, she became the Head of Forensic Medicine Department at İstanbul University. In 2004, she was dismissed from this post. In 2005, she was reinstated by the Administrative Court and as per the decision of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK).

Şebnem Korur Fincancı also participated in the Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign that was launched in solidarity with the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which was closed as per a Statutory Decree. Korur Fincancı was arrested on June 20, 2016 for having participated in the campaign and was released on June 30, 2016.

(RT/VK)