At a recent meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh, deputies reviewed a draft law proposing changes to Article 137 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic concerning torture. The amendments suggest that not only officials but also other workers, including medical personnel, could be held accountable for torture. "It is difficult to find doctors, and graduates of KGMA are required to work for five years in state institutions. Will these changes lead to us being left without doctors?" Surabaldiyeva asked.
"We have discussed this issue extensively. The medical community is categorically against torture. It is evil. Violence should have no place in hospitals. Impunity should not be the norm. Torture represents violence perpetrated by public officials for the purpose of punishment or obtaining information. If torture has no purpose, it is considered cruel and degrading to human dignity. In medicine, patients are in a vulnerable position, especially in psychiatric institutions. They cannot protect themselves from violence.
Medical professionals who engage in torture should be immediately excluded from the profession and deprived of the right to practice medicine for life," Baryktabasova emphasized.
She also noted that according to the Convention against Torture and other international documents, medical professionals have no right to participate in torture or remain indifferent; otherwise, their silence will be considered complicity.
The union leader added that deputies should not worry about a possible outflow of doctors due to the tightening of the law. "It is better for all those capable of violence to leave, and only compassionate medical professionals to remain. Previously, only officials were held accountable under the article 'Torture.' Now the law covers all medical personnel, including orderlies and nurses, for mistreatment of patients. This is the right approach. A hospital should be a place where help is provided, not a place of violence," she explained.
The full text of the union leader's comment can be seen in the post below:
The image on the main page is illustrative: medicinaonline.co.
