The Royal College of Psychiatrists joins colleagues around the world in condemning the criminal complaint that has been made against the Turkish Medical Association (TMA) in response to their public statement that war is a public health concern.
The college supports the call of the World Medical Association and the World Psychiatric Association for the immediate release of the leaders of the Turkish Medical Association (TMA) and an end to the intimidation and threats of violence that have been made against its members.
We support the TMA’s right to peaceful exercise of freedom of expression.
We also recognise the responsibility of national medical associations to “denounce violence and alert our governments and other relevant decision-makers to the dramatic immediate and long-term health effects of warfare and armed conflicts” as set out in the World Medical Association’s joint letter to President Erdoğan.
Professor Wendy Burn, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
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