Criminal complaint against ministers over deaths, rights violations during pandemic

* Photo: TTB

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Today is December 10 Human Rights Day.

On this day, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (SES), Human Rights Association (İHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV-HRFT) filed a criminal complaint about over 200 thousand deaths, including excess mortality, and the violations of right to life and healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The criminal complaint has been filed against Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Bilgin and the members of the Presidency's Health and Food Policies Board.

In the complaint submitted to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it has been indicated that ensuring the welfare, peace and happiness of people and society is the essential principle of a "social state".

Referring to the international conventions and Turkey's Constitution within this context, the labor and rights organizations have listed the following shortcomings: "The failure to provide healthcare workers with personal protective equipment, forced labor, the failure to provide vaccination in compliance with scientific requirements and lack of transparency."

In the attachment of the complaint, a document titled "Medical Data on Right to Healthcare and Life" has been shared. Findings and observations about the violations of the right to life and excess deaths during the COVID-19 outbreak have been offered in the document.

"With excess deaths, over 200 thousand people lost their lives in Turkey during the pandemic and people's right to healthcare and life has been violated by the failure to make preferences in line with the fundamental rights safeguarded by international conventions and the Constitution," the criminal complaint has read, demanding that a criminal case be filed against the related public officials "who have committed misconduct in office."

Following the criminal complaint, the representatives of the organizations wanted to make a press statement in front of the Ankara Courthouse; however, the police prevented the statement on the grounds that "no application had been made to the Ankara Governor's Office."

In the face of this attitude, TTB Central Council Chair Prof. Şebnem Korur-Fincancı, also the former Chair of the TİHV-HRFT, reminded the officers that today was Human Rights Day: "The fact that you cause a violation of rights on this day is both a crime and shame." (RT/SD)