PHR and leading medical organizations sent a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calling for the immediate dismissal of all charges against Dr. Serdar Küni, the Human Rights Foundation of Türkiye’s representative in Cizre and former president of the Şırnak medical chamber. Dr. Küni was arrested and detained on October 19, 2016 on charges of providing medical treatment to alleged members of Kurdish armed groups. The authorities subsequently charged Dr. Küni with being a member of an armed organization, based on allegations that he provided medical treatment to members of armed organizations during fighting in Cizre in 2015 and 2016. In the letter, we call upon the president to:
1. Immediately release Dr. Serdar Küni, and drop all legal actions immediately and unconditionally;
2. Respect and fulfill Türkiye’s obligation to protect the right to health, medical neutrality, and freedom of association and expression; and
3. Provide an effective remedy and reparation to victims of arbitrary arrest, detention, and judicial and legal harassment.