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An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

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Sebnem Korur Fincanci, President of Turkey’s Medical Association, Forced Out of Her Position and Imprisoned for Allegedly Spreading Terrorist Propaganda

November 9, 2022

Sebnem Korur Fincanci, President of Turkey’s Medical Association, an internationally recognized forensic physician, anti-torture expert, and human rights champion, was recently forced out of her position and imprisoned for allegedly spreading terrorist propaganda. These developments appear to be retaliation for her urging for an investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons by Turkey’s military against the PKK in Iraq.

November 10, 2022

Recep Erdogan
President of the Republic of Turkey
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi
06560 Beştepe-Ankara-
Turkiye

Dear President Erdogan:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.

We are very concerned with recent developments regarding the arbitrary imprisonment of Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci.

Sebnem Korur Fincanci, President of Turkey’s Medical Association, is an internationally recognized forensic physician, anti-torture expert, and human rights champion. Fincanci has conducted anti-torture work for more than 30 years and documented violations of human rights in Turkey. She was also part of the Academic for Peace movement. Because of that, she was forced out of her position as the head of Istanbul University’s Forensic Medical Department.

Dr. Fincanci was arrested on October 27th, 2022, on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda. The arrest came after Fincanci participated in a media broadcast on the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Turkish Army against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Northern Iraq. In the broadcast, she called for an independent investigation into the event due to international law mandates. State organs interpreted this as terrorist propaganda and dismissed her from the post of president of the Turkish Medical Association.

We believe that Dr. Fincanci’s detention is part of a mounting crackdown on human rights in Turkey, including the independent Turkish Medical Association. We urge the Turkish government to enforce the rule of law and immediately terminate Fincanci’s unlawful imprisonment.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.

Sincerely,
signatures
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Cc:
Hasan Murat Mercan
Ambassador
2525 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: +1 202 612 67 00
Email: embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr

Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: (202) 647-4000

Omer Faruk Gergerliogu
Member of Parliament, Turkey
Human Rights Activists
Address: Halkla İlişkiler Binası 2 .Kat
4 Nolu Banko Oda: E206
Ankara, Turkey
Email: omerfaruk.gergerlioglu@tbmm.gov.tr

Jeff Flake
U.S. Embassy Ankara
110 Atatürk Boulevard
Kavaklıdere, 06100 Ankara – Turkey
Phone: (90-312) 455-5555
Fax: (90-312) 467-0019
Email: webmasterankara@state.gov

Filed Under: CCS Cases, Turkey Tagged With: Şebnem Korur Fincancı

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

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