Joint letter CPME-WMA in support of Dr Gökalp – November 2021

H.E. Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
President of Turkey
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi
06560 Beştepe-Ankara, Turkey
E-mail: contact@tccb.gov.tr
Mr Abdulhamit Gül
Minister of Justice
06659 Kizilay
Ankara, Turkey
E-mail: info@adalet.gov.tr
Dr Fahrettin Koca
Minister of Health
Üniversiteler Mah. Dumlupınar Bulv. 6001. Cad. No:9
06800 Bilkent – Çankaya / Ankara, Turkey
E-Mail: disabgm@saglik.gov.tr
Brussels/Ferney-Voltaire, 10 November 2021
Open letter on trial against Dr Şeyhmus Gökalp
Your Excellency, ministers,
It is with great concern that the World Medical Association (WMA) and the Standing Committee of
European Doctors (CPME) are following the judicial case against Dr Şeyhmus Gökalp at the Diyarbakır
2nd
Criminal Court of Peace.
Ahead of the final hearing on 19 November 2021, we reaffirm our appeal to the Turkish judicial
authorities to ensure that the proceedings are conducted in full respect of the right to a fair trial the
Republic of Turkey has committed to under international law.
It is our understanding that Dr Şeyhmus Gökalp is a well-respected physician exercising his
profession in line with the core ethical values of the profession and recognised for his commitment
to serve public health interests and to protect patients and physicians.
In absence of substantiated and lawfully obtained evidence in support of the indictments against Dr
Gökalp, the charges against him must be dropped immediately.
We will monitor the outcome of the hearing and continue to liaise with the Turkish Medical
Association as well as our international partners on further actions if deemed necessary. We trust in
a lawful resolution.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Heidi Stensmyren Prof. Dr Frank Ulrich Montgomery
WMA President CPME President
The World Medical Association (WMA) is the global federation of National Medical Associations
representing the millions of physicians worldwide. Acting on behalf of patients and physicians, the
WMA endeavors to achieve the highest possible standards of medical care, ethics, education and
health-related human rights for all people.
The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) represents national medical associations
across Europe.
We are committed to contributing the medical profession’s point of view to EU institutions and
European policy-making through pro-active cooperation on a wide range of health and healthcare
related issues.