At a recent meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh, a bill amending Article 137 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic "Torture" was considered in its second reading. These amendments imply that not only officials but also other workers, including medical personnel, can now be held accountable. Surabaldiyeva expressed concern that "the country is already experiencing a shortage of doctors. Graduates of KGMA are required to work for five years, and will these changes lead to us being left without medical professionals?"
"We know how important this issue is. Medical workers are against torture. Torture is an evil, that should have no place in hospitals. It is unacceptable and must be punished. Torture is a form of violence perpetrated by state representatives with the aim of causing suffering or obtaining information. If torture does not have a clear purpose, it is classified as cruel, inhuman treatment that humiliates human dignity. In medicine, patients are vulnerable, especially in psychiatric institutions—they have nowhere to turn, and often they are not believed," emphasized Baryktabasova.
Medical professionals who participate in torture should be immediately excluded from the profession and deprived of the opportunity to practice medicine for life," she added.
The expert also pointed out that according to the Convention against Torture and other international agreements, medical workers have no right to witness torture, participate in it, or remain silent about it. Otherwise, their silence will be considered complicity in torture.
The union leader noted that the deputy should not worry about a possible outflow of doctors as a result of tightening the torture law. "Let all the perpetrators leave, and only compassionate doctors remain. Previously, responsibility for torture did not extend to all medical personnel, but now it is right—the law should cover everyone, including orderlies and nurses, for the cruel treatment of patients. A hospital should not be a place where patients can be abused. Medicine is meant to alleviate pain and suffering, not to increase it," concluded Baryktabasova.
The full text of the comment from the head of the independent union can be found in the post below:
The image on the main page is illustrative: medicinaonline.co.
