After issued statements about the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army: Why the chairwoman of the Turkish Medical Association was really arrested
On October 26, forensic doctor and human rights activist Prof. Dr Sebnem Korur Fincanci was arrested at her home in Istanbul. On October 19, during a visit to Europe, she gave a television interview in which she presented footage to confirm and criticize the raised allegations that Turkey had used chemical weapons in northern Iraq. She also called for the case to be investigated by independent observers according to international standards. A day later, the Turkish public prosecutor’s office initiated proceedings against the renowned doctor, with the following accusation: ‚dissemination of propaganda for a terrorist organization’ and ‘vituperation of Turkey and the Turkish government’.
Since then, the topic has dominated the Turkish public and was most recently on the agenda of Turkish President Erdogan. Erdogan said: “I am sure that all members of our people are dissatisfied that such a person is at the head of a body that starts with ‘Turkish’. If necessary, we will change the name by law.“
For the Turkish public, the debate over the disparagement of the „Turkish“ appears to be more important than the fact that Turkey is most likely using chemical weapons. For the 63-year-old human rights activist, this circumstance has now proven to have become dreadful for her. International attention is also on Korur Fincanci and less on the most likely usage of chemical weapons, which the woman who has now been arrested also wanted to be investigated.
The silence of the international community regarding a clear war crime and violation of the UN Chemical Weapons Convention is however, more serious, because the allegations are far from being groundbreaking news. In fact, accusations of the Turkish Army to use chemical weapons during its military operations in North Iraq, Turkey als also Northern Syria are repeatedly made. In 2010 in Cukurca, in the very South-East of Turkey, such an operation was confirmed by independent authorities.
In 2019, the Turkish army also used chemical weapons during its invasion of northern Syria, as confirmed by a Swiss specialist agency in cooperation with laboratories. In the city of Tall Abyad, as well as in Ras al-Ain, phosphorus bombs were used at that time, which was detected on the skin of the victims. Although an investigation by the organization ‘OPCW’ (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) was repeatedly demanded, they did not intervene. Instead, Turkey donated 30,000 euros to the organization just four days after the usage of chemical weapons. Despite the currently existing allegations, the OPCW gratefully accepted the money.
International human rights organizations also remain silent on this issue. Amnesty International wrote an article on the incident, however, only in connection with the arrest of the doctor. There is absolutely no comment on the previous allegations and in this case, too, there is no comment on the matter, although Sebnem Korur Fincanci confirmed the usage of chemical weapons through inculpatory footage and called for an independent international investigation. This behavior of the international public and NGOs only strengthens Turkey’s sense of inviolability, leading to the Turkish government to feel further encouraged to commit such war crimes again in the future.