After assistant physician Dr. Rümeysa Berin Şen died in a car crash amid heavy workload and poor working conditions at a public hospital in Ankara, several healthcare workers protested this occupational homicide and their working conditions all across Turkey.
In the eastern province of Van, the commemoration of Şen and the protests took place at the Medical School of Yüzüncü Yıl University.
While the healthcare personnel met in front of the Medical School to make a press statement about Şen's passing yesterday (October 25), police officers intervened against them by citing the demonstration ban that has been in effect in the province for the past years since 2016.
Following the intervention, the police took Van-Hakkari Medical Chamber Chair Hüseyin Yaviç and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV-HRFT) Representative Sevim Çiçek into custody.
After medical checks, Yaviç and Çiçek were taken to the Van Provincial Security Directorate. They were released after giving their statements.
'Yaviç, Çiçek must be released immediately'
Before Yaviç and Çiçek were released, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council released a statement and called for their immediate release. Referring to the intervention against the healthcare workers' protests against "5-minute medical examinations at public hospitals" in Van last week, the TTB noted that "the conditions of State of Emergency that have been in effect in Van for 5 years have been manifested even more."
"Our colleagues must be released immediately and right now," the TTB said, adding, "No one should doubt that our struggle against this repressive mindset that does not have tolerance even to our grief will grow thanks to solidarity."
