Turkish Medical Association Central Council Member Dr. Yerlikaya Detained

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Oncologist Dr. Halis Yerlikaya, who works at the Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır and became a member of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) two months ago, was taken into custody in a raid conducted to his house at 6.30 a.m. today (July 11).

Speaking to bianet about the detention of Yerlikaya, Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp from the Central Council of the TTB stated that Yerlikaya gave his deposition at the Diyarbakır Security Directorate at around 4 p.m. and they were expecting the decision of the Siirt Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which has been pursuing the investigation.

As part of the investigation launched in the southeastern province of Siirt, Dr. Yerlikaya has been facing charges in relation with his activities between 2012 and 2014, when he was an executive at the Healthcare and Social Services Laborers' Union (SES).

Statement by TTB and Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine

The Turkish Medical Association and Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine released a statement about the detention of Yerlikaya and said,

"Yerlikaya was not summoned to the security directorate to give his deposition, but detained in a raid conducted to his house due to an investigation launched in 2014, which shows the extent of the unlawfulness."

The TTB and Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine demanded that Dr. Halis Yerlikaya be immediately released.

About Dr. Halis Yerlikaya

Halis Yerlikaya was born in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır in 1980. He graduated from the Medical School at Ankara University in 2004.

Yerlikaya has been working as an internal medicine specialist and oncologist at the Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital.

He was a member of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) between 2010 and 2012. He was again elected to the Central Council of the TTB in 2018.

In the periods of 2012-2014 and 2016-2020, Halis Yerlikaya was and has been a delegate of the TTB Great Congress. He is also a member of the editorial board of the Toplum ve Hekim (Society and Doctor) Journal. (AS/SD)