Turkish imam dismissed after inciting violence against doctors

Duvar English

Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) has suspended from duty an imam after he targeted doctors and incited violence against them during a sermon, according to reporting by TELE1.

The muhtar (neighborhood head) of Konya's Bosna Hersek neighborhood, where the imam was working, told TELE1 that “the imam was dismissed and inspectors came” after the incident.

During a Friday sermon on July 8, imam Ahmet Gür in the Central Anatolian province of Konya called for violence against doctors in the face of a healthcare strike earlier in the week.

“They have turned the killing of doctor against the state, nation. Yesterday, none of the hospitals were on duty. For example, you went to the hospital for your son to get an injection; otherwise, he will die. But the doctor tells you to go away since they are on a strike. Would you not kill him, beat him, swear at him? Let's not give an opportunity to this. Let everyone be wise,” imam Gür said.

Shortly afterwards, the imam's video appeared on social media, stirring a huge reaction.

Bosna Hersek neighborhood's muhtar Sait Tepe said that some of the remarks of imam Gür were cut off in the video.

“Of course he regretted it. He said that his words were cut off. He said that he had called it ‘a massacre’ [murder of a doctor in Konya] at the beginning of his speech,” Tepe said. 

In the face of the murder of cardiologist Ekrem Karakaya by a patient in Konya, doctors across Turkey held a two-day strike on July 7 and 8. The healthcare workers called on the government to tackle the growing violence against them.