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WRITE FOR PHYSICIANS RIGHTS !!
WMA urges its National Medical Associations to act on behalf
of our colleagues.
Letter writing on behalf of physicians and health
care personnel who are unjustly detained, abused or ill-treated
anywhere in the world.
Everyday and all over the world, physicians, nurses
and other health care professionals are arrested, imprisoned or
simply not allowed to perform their duties as professionals. As
social leaders in society they are increasingly becoming the target
of authoritarian regimes that curtail their independence and professional
liberty. Physicians must have the professional freedom to care
for their patients without interference. They should be able to
exercise their professional judgement and discretion in making
clinical and ethical decisions in the care and treatment of patients.
By providing independence and professional freedom for physicians
to practise medicine, a community assures the best possible health
care for its citizens, which in turn contributes to a strong and
secure society.
WMA's Mission Statement:
"To ensure the highest possible
standards of medical ethics, medical education, human rights and
professional care of patients, in an environment of professional
autonomy"
What can you do??
 In
the name of your National Medical Association, or in your personal
capacity as a physician, write a letter of support for a physician
or other health care professional whose case has been verified
by WMA or another recognized human rights organization.
Urge
the corresponding government authorities to investigate the case.
Send
copies of relevant WMA and other international codes and statements
to:
- Government
- Ministries of Health and Justice
- Penitentiary authorities
- National Medical Association
Click
here to see examples of protest and support letters, written
by a National Medical Association.
How to write a Protest Letter:
Many WMA members are approached by various human rights organizations
asking them to write protest letters when physicians or other
health professionals are persecuted or harassed due to their engagement
in human rights.
When you receive such requests, WMA recommends that you to check
the authenticity of the case. Check with the WMA, Amnesty International
or Physicians for Human Rights.
The case should have a connection to the physician's professional
life, for example, in Turkey where the authorities on several
occasions have confiscated medical records because they suspect
the physician of treating so-called terrorists. In Cuba physicians
have been internally displaced due to their engagement in human
rights, and in Tunisia authorities have withdrawn the physician's
license to practise. In some places physicians are sentenced to
prison, tortured and even killed for their human rights activities.
We recommend that you avoid cases of a more private character
such as accusations concerning malpractice.
The letter should be short, descriptive and non-accusatory. The
people you write to are usually busy, and they are normally not
interested in protest letters.
You can never be 100% certain that the information you have is
correct. Start the letter by referring to the case and state your
sources of information. Then describe the case without any personal
judgements. Dialogue is better than confrontation. Refer
to international codes and declarations if they can support your
arguments.
"As a doctor, because I alerted my government
on the danger and unethical abuse of abortion practices, I was
sentenced to 28 years in prison. It brings a ray of hope through
the cell bars to think that other fellow physicians care and defend
those who are not allowed to speak out."
Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, suffering inhumane treatment in Cuban
jails since 1998.
As a physician, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet served 3 years in a maximum
security prison and was later sentenced to 25 years for alerting
his government to human rights abuses such as the unethical abortion
pratices in Cuban hospitals. A display of solidarity from fellow
physicians worldwide, defending his right to speak out, will bring
Dr. Biscet, and many other unjustly incarcerated physicians, a
ray of hope through his cell bars.
For more information, please click: www.biscet.org
See
Cases
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