The Constitutional Court (AYM) has reached a decision regarding the individual application filed by cardiovascular surgeon Prof. Dr. Canan Karatay concerning the temporary suspension from her profession she received due to her statements about vaccines. The High Court ruled that the penalty in question violated freedom of expression.
A disciplinary process had been initiated against Karatay following her remarks during a television program where she stated, "I am against all vaccines." The Istanbul Medical Chamber had imposed a one-month suspension from the profession on Karatay, and the decision was subsequently upheld by the Turkish Medical Association's High Honor Board.
Karatay, who applied to administrative courts to have the penalty annulled, took the case to the Constitutional Court via an individual application after failing to achieve results. The Constitutional Court's decision has been published in the Official Gazette.
The court evaluated the punishment of Karatay due to her statements as an interference with freedom of expression. The ruling concluded that the legal basis for the disciplinary penalty imposed due to medical statements and the necessity of the interference were not sufficiently demonstrated.
The Constitutional Court decided to send the file to the Ankara 14th Administrative Court for a retrial to remedy the consequences of the violation.
News Source: 12punto
