Arrest of Turkish Medical Association members

With great concern we have heard that the President and all members of the Central Council of Turkish Medical Association (TMA) for the term of 2016-2018 were sentenced to 1 year and 8 months of imprisonment for their two different declarations titled as “War is a Public Health Problem” and “It is Quite Possible to Live in Peace and Equality on this Land”.

Supporting human rights and pointing out threats to public health are core principles of medical ethics. Therefore, the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) joins the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) and the World Medical Association (WMA) and condemns the outcome of the trial.

We express our deep solidarity for our colleagues and strongly hope that the decision will be repealed.