PHM-Exch> PHM Europe on the situation in Turkey

[Claudio Schuftan]

*THE PEOPLE'S HEALTH MOVEMENT CONCERNED ABOUT STATE ORGANISED ATTACKS
ON ACTIVISTS AND HEALTH WORKERS DURING RECENT TURMOIL IN TURKEY
*
The People ’ s Health Movement (PHM)1 strongly condemns violent acts by
state authorities against
members of civil society across Turkey. PHM is particularly concerned about
the use of
chemical agents used to suppress demonstrations, causing danger to the
health of the
demonstrators affected, as recently disclosed by a cross-sectional survey
conducted by the Turkish
Medica l Association . The survey provided evidence that the chemical
agents used caused
systemic health symptoms for those exposed to the gases and that tear gas
grenades, tanks and
rubber bullets, directly targeted at protestors, have caused severe head,
facial and eye injuries, as
well blunt thorax and abdominal trauma. It has been reported that during
the recent protests more
than 5.000 people have been injured and at least four killed.
Moreover, PHM is concerned about reports detailing systematic police
violence against medical
doctors, nurses, medical students and volunteers providing care to the
injured. Health workers
assisting injured demonstrators in self-organised first aid centres were
repeatedly attacked and
detained.
PHM calls on the Turkish government to ensure a total ban of any of
chemical agents causing
health hazards against members of civil society.
Further, PHM calls for an immediate release of all detained health care
workers and medical
volunteers and to ensure that no further criminalisation of medical staff
will occur by state
authorities.
PHM expresses its solidarity with all health professionals and volunteers
who assisted the
victims of brutality during the confrontations and provided health care in
Istanbul, Ankara and other
cities in Turkey and strongly supports the call on the international
community, from the Turkish
Medical Association to act immediately against the brutal suppression of
democratic rights.

Contacts:
Dr. Chiara Bodini (Italy), chiarabodini at hotmail.com
PHM Europe representative

1: PHM is a global network bringing together grassroots activists, civil
society organizations and academics from
around the world, particularly from low income countries. PHM works towards
the revitalisation of primary health
care and works to address the social determinants of health, including in
particular, the growing inequity within and
between nations, mostly due to unfair economic structures which lock so
many people into poverty and poor health.
We have a presence in more than 70 countries around the globe.
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