Turkish deputy beats, threatens ER doctor

Hurriyet.com.tr

Özdal Üçer is accused of beating a doctor. AA photo

Özdal Üçer, a deputy from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) beat up and threatened a doctor in an emergency room in the eastern province of Van, Health Minister Recep Akdağ said today. 
 
Reports said earlier today that Üçer's wife and 11-year-old son had a traffic accident and were brought to Van Regional Training and Research Hospital's emergency room in the afternoon. Üçer arrived at the hospital shortly after and started yelling and screaming at the medical personnel. Dr. Oğuz Eroğlu came to ask Üçer who he was, upon which Üçer attacked the doctor with fists and kicks. 
 
The security staff had to restrain Üçer, who then reportedly went to the chief of medicine of the hospital and insulted him. 
 
Akdağ talked to Üçer and told the press that the deputy both beat up and threatened Eroğlu. Akdağ said Üçer would not agree to apologize for what he had done. 
 
Özdal had previously signed a parliamentary petition to investigate attacks on medical personnel in Turkey.
 
Doctors at the hospital said they were going to file a complaint against Üçer. 
 
The attack came one day after thousands of health workers around Turkey marched to protest the recent murder of a doctor by a patient's relative while the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) demanded the health minister provide safer working conditions for medical personnel.