11 March 2002
WMA LEADERS TO ATTEND HEALTHCARE WORKER'S TRIAL IN TURKEY
World Medical Association leaders are to attend the opening of the trial in Turkey next week of a health worker accused
of establishing a treatment centre for torture victims without permission.
WMA President Dr Enrique Accorsi, from Chile, and past WMA chairman Dr Anders Milton, from Sweden, are to attend the
trial of Sezgin Taurikula, a representative of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation, at the Diyarbakir Penal Court on
Tuesday 19 March.
The trial follows last year's raid on the Foundation's Diyarbakir treatment centre, when patients' photos and files were
siezed by the authorities. Two doctors working at the centre were exiled to other parts of the region and the centre was
accused of aiding and sheltering members of a terrorist organisation. The Foundation's refusal to pay a fine and admit
guilt to establishing the centre without permission led to next week's trial.
WMA secretary general Dr Delon Human, said that by sending its top leaders to Turkey, the WMA was demonstrating how
seriously it took this matter.
"Dr Accorsi has an impeccable record of fighting against human rights abuses in Chile and is well-known in Turkey. We
will also be sending official letters to the President of Turkey and the other relevant officials and to the Turkish
Mission in Geneva protesting about this trial.
"It is vital that physicians around the world are allowed to treat patients without harassment and to provide medical
care to patients, regardless of their race, religion or political affiliation. The WMA's Declaration on the Right of the
Patient states explicitly that every person is entitled without discrimination to appropriate care, and physicians and
healthcare workers in Turkey, as in any other country, should be free to treat patients irrespective of their political
affiliations."
end
For further information please contact:
Nigel Duncan: WMA Public Relations Adviser (+44) 0207 383 6113 (office), 0208 997 3653 (home) 07990 542 026 (mobile),
nduncan@bma.org.uk (e-mail)
Dr Delon Human Secretary General 00 33 607 1641 77 (mobile), 00 33 450 40 75 75 (office)
Website: www.wma.net