Police detain healthcare workers in Ankara while making a statement to demand equal COVID-19 precautions for all

Duvar English 

A group of healthcare workers who tried to make an announcement in front of a university hospital regarding the necessary precautions that should be taken against coronavirus were taken into custody on Tuesday in Ankara. 

The workers, who stood outside of Ankara University's İbni Sina Hospital while wearing masks and gloves were prevented from making their statement by police, who forced them into the hospital and following the breakout of a fight in the hospital, police attempted to detain one of the healthcare workers, who was not taken into custody after a high-ranking Ankara police official advised against doing so.

Afterward, two buses full of riot police were dispatched to the hospital. As the healthcare workers tried to make their statement, five people were taken into custody. 

“By discriminating against certain healthcare workers, you cannot defeat this virus, said the Revolutionary Healthcare Workers Union (Dev Sağlık-İş) in a statement on social media. The leader of the union and two members were taken into custody in front of the hospital. 

“Our priority was to demand a solution for the demands of healthcare workers. Since janitors and some healthcare workers are not considered part of the sector, they cannot benefit from the regulations implemented by the Ministry of Health. These friends of ours are experiencing discrimination,” the union said.