20221219-Joint letter to the Turkish authorities

OPEN LETTER
To the attention of:
President of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (contact@tccb.gov.tr)
Minister of Justice, Mr. Bekir Bozdağ (info@adalet.gov.tr)
Minister of Health, Mr. Fahrettin Koca (ozelburo@saglik.gov.tr)
19 December 2022
Your Excellency,
Re: Hearing of Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı on 23 December 2022
We are writing to you on behalf of the World Medical Association (WMA), the Standing
Committee of European Doctors (CPME) as well as the undersigned European Medical
Organisations1
representing together millions of physicians in Europe and across the world with the
shared professional commitment to medical ethics, human rights and peace.
Our Turkish colleague, Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, President of the Turkish Medical Association
(TMA), has been in pre-trial detention since 26 October 2022, after an interview in which she called
for an independent investigation on the allegation of the use of chemical weapons. The Ankara 3rd
Criminal Court ordered her arrest on charges of “propaganda for a terrorist organisation.” Prof.
Fincancı has been recently transferred to Istanbul as the Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court has accepted
its jurisdiction with a first hearing scheduled on 23 December 2022.
We are deeply concerned by this new charge on Prof. Fincancı and do not see any evidence supporting
her indictment. The only prominent element of this case is the arbitrary nature of the accusations.
We have worked with Prof. Fincancı for many years and value her important contribution to our
organisations. Prof Şebnem Korur Fincancı is a well-known forensic physician in Turkey and
globally, whose integrity and commitment to the ethical values of our profession are unquestionable.
1 European Association of Senior Hospital Physicians (AEMH), European Council of Medical Orders
(CEOM), European Union of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (UEMO), European Union of Medical
Specialists (UEMS)
Prof. Fincancı is in detention for merely expressing an opinion. Such denial of liberty constitutes a
gross violation of the freedom of speech. Her detention is arbitrary, abusive, and contrary to the most
elementary fair trial rules, guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that
Turkey has ratified in 2003.
We would like also to respectfully remind you that the use of chemical weapons is prohibited under
international law Turkey ratified in 1997. It seems to us incongruous to the least that the Turkish
authorities punishes one of its citizens for recommending an investigation on the use of weapons
which they precisely committed to prohibit.
The international medical community urges you to deliver justice fairly and impartially and calls for
the immediate release of Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı and to drop all charges against her.
Your sincerely,
Prof Frank Ulrich Montgomery Dr Christiaan Keijzer
WMA Chair of Council CPME President
Dr Erich-Theo Merholz Dr José Santos
AEMH President CEOM President
Dr Călin Bumbuluț Prof. Vassilios Papalois
UEMO President UEMS President