Union Wins Fingerprint Complaint

The controversial practice of taking fingerprints of employees at the Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Education and Research Hospital during entries and exits into the complex has been terminated after a union complaint made to the provincial human rights board.

The Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES) had applied to the Diyarbakir Province Human Rights Board on grounds that the practice, introduced at heart of Turkey' Southeast region, was a violation of human rights.

Ozgur [Free] Radio reported that the provincial board had looked into the SES complaint and asked for the practice to be abolished - saying the laws clearly specified the institutions that could take fingerprints and under which conditions.

Faculty of Medicine Hospital administrators said the fingerprint procedure was experimental only and the process had been totally stopped.

Previously, the Ankara Governor's Office Human Rights Consultation Desk had looked into a similar issue in the Turkish capital based on an application made by the All Municipality and Local Administration Services Workers Union (TUM BEL-SEN).

In that case, the Desk had decided that the Ankara municipality was at fault for asking its employers for fingerprints to run checks on their identification, saying the procedure was against human rights.

"No one is obliged to be fingerprinted"

Izmir Bar Association attorney Ali Koc had raised the issue of fingerprints with Bianet at the end of last year arguing that no one could be forced to give such information and most definitely not to be accepted to schools or work.

Koc had suggested making criminal complaints against those enforcing such requirements noting this could lead to sentences for those responsible as well as liability cases for the victims. (KO/II/YE)