Police raid homes of Medical Association of Turkey members

Arrest orders were passed as part of an investigation launched by Ankara Republic Chief Prosecution into eleven Central Council administrators of the Medical Association of Turkey (TTB), which had been targeted by AKP General Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for having published an announcement with the heading, “War is a popular health issue.” Following the arrest order, an operation was launched by Counterterrorism Branch teams and the TTB members’ homes were raided by the police at around 6.30 in the morning. Administrators including TTB Chair Raşit Tükel were arrested in the operation launched in eight provinces centred on Ankara. Tükel was taken to the Çap Medical Faculty following his arrest. The police also conducted a search of Tükel’s office here. Prof. Dr. Raşit Tükel and Prof. Dr. Taner Gören were then taken to Haseki Training and Research Hospital for health checks. It has been learnt that Tükel and Gören, who were taken to Istanbul Police Directorate, will be sent to Ankara where the investigation is in progress.
 
TTB Central Council member Hande Arpat was taken to TTB Headquarters following her arrest in a raid on her home to accompany a search that was to be made.
 
Administrators and members of health labour and professional organisations who had heard the news congregated in front of the headquarters’ building. Health workers greeted Hande Arpat’s departure following the search with applause.
 
DR. BÜLEN NAZIM YILMAZ ARRESTED
 
Dr. Bülent Nazım Yılmaz was arrested in the morning hours at his home in Eskişehir by Police Counterterrorism Branch teams within the operation. Dr. Yılmaz, who works as a practicing doctor in the city, was taken to the Counterterrorism Branch following the search conducted at his home. It was stated that Bülent Nazım Yılmaz will be sent to Ankara following procedures here.
 
According to a report by İlerihaber, police raids were also staged on the homes of TTB Central Council member Şeyhmus Gökalp and all headquarters’ administrators and on TTB Headquarters.
 
GÖKALP: WE WILL NEVER ABANDON THE DEFENCE OF LIFE!
 
Gökalp, noting that he had been waiting at home, said that TTB Central Council Chair Prof. Dr. Raşit Tükel along with Yaşar Ulutaş, Nazım Yılmaz and Funda Obuz had been arrested. Gökalp said, “We have done nothing incorrect. We did a correct thing.” Gökalp concluded with the message, “We will never abandon the defence of life.”
 
STATEMENT BY CHIEF PROSECUTION
 
The following comment was included in the statement made by Ankara Republic Chief Prosecution about the arrests:
 
“An arrest order was passed against eleven administrators as part of the investigation being conducted pursuant to Law number 3713 by this Chief Prosecution into Medical Association of Turkey officials, and statutory procedures were initiated as of this morning by Ankara Police Directorate Counterterrorism Branch officers. Arrest, search and seizure procedures are continuing in eight provinces centred on Ankara.”
 
The following are the member doctors of the TTB Central Council whose homes were raided and searched and are the subject of arrest orders:
 
TTB Chair Raşit Tükel
 
Central Council members
 
Sezai Berber
 
Sinan Adıyaman
 
Selma Güngör
 
Şeyhmus Gökalp
 
Hande Arpat
 
Ayfer Horasan
 
Taner Gören
 
Funda Obuz
 
Yaşar Ulutaş
 
Nazım Yılmaz
 
CHP PARLIAMENTARIANS IN FRONT OF TTB HEADQUARTERS
 
CHP MPs Ali Şeker, Orhan Sarıbal and Niyazi Nefi Kara along with Party Assembly member Selin Sayek Böke also appeared in front of TTB Headquarters.
 
“GRAB THAT DAME, GRAB HER”
 
The police wished to dispel those who had assembled in support in front of TTB Headquarters. In the ensuing scuffle, a police officer who was arresting supporters was heard to say, “Grab that dame, grab her.”
 
FIRST REACTION CAME FROM CHP
 
The first reaction to the arrests came from the CHP. CHP MP Ali Şeker posted a message of support for the TTB members in a social media post he made:
 
“We will not bow to the tyrannical regime that arrests TTB Chair Raşit Tükel and executive board members.
37 years have passed since 12 September 1980 and fascism is once more targeting this country. Humanity will vanquish and peace will vanquish oppression.”
 
FIRST REACTION FROM HDP: LET EVERYONE NOW SEEK A PRO-WAR DOCTOR
 
A reaction to the arrests at the TTB also came from the HDP. The HDP’s Ayhan Bilgen included the comment, “Let everyone now seek a pro-war doctor” in the post he made on social media.
 
Bilgen’s post read:
 
“TTB administrators are being arrested at their homes. The price for defending peace! Let everyone now seek a pro-war doctor! Or, let religious affairs staff be authorised to write prescriptions.”