Turkish doctor detained for proposing chemical weapons probe

Turkish media reported on Wednesday that police had arrested her after the president of the Turkish Medical Association called for an investigation into allegations that the Turkish military used chemical weapons against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.

Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci was detained on charges of spreading “terrorist propaganda” as part of an investigation launched by the anti-terror police, according to Ankara’s chief prosecutor’s office.

The 63-year-old forensic expert has spent most of her career documenting torture and ill-treatment and is Turkey’s leading human rights activist. She served as President of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation.

Turkish newspaper Birgun and other media reported that she was detained in Istanbul after an early morning raid on her home and taken to Ankara for questioning.

Last week, Turkish officials vehemently denied allegations by Kurdish militants that the Turkish military used chemical weapons against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, insisting the military does not have such weapons.

In comments to pro-Kurdish news outlets, Dr Fincanci said she examined a video claiming to have used chemical weapons and called for an “effective investigation”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused her of defaming Turkey’s armed forces and insulting her country “in the language of terrorist groups”.

He vowed to take action to remove “terrorist supporters” of the Turkish Medical Association and other professional organisations.

The leader of the National Party, which is allied with Mr Erdogan’s ruling party, Devlet Bahseli, also sharply criticised Dr Finkanci in a speech on Tuesday.

The doctor was detained after police raided several cities in Turkey and arrested 11 journalists working with pro-Kurdish media.

Police said the journalists were detained for news or other content that “incited public hatred and hostility” and accused their media of ties to the PKK.

Since 1984, the PKK has led an armed rebellion against the Turkish state. The group is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, Europe and the United States.