The board and members of the German Society for Legal Medicine (DGRM) note with concern how our Turkish colleagues are being restricted in exercising their academic freedom. The most recent example is the detention of Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, professor of forensic medicine at Istanbul University and one of the people responsible for compiling the Istanbul Protocol on the detection and documentation of torture.

With reference to the goals of our Society and the scientific freedom established in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Basic Constitutional Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, we reject all restrictions to academic and scientific freedom and declare our solidarity with those of our colleagues in Turkey who are being hindered from practising their profession, whose freedom of expression is being compromised, or who are being persecuted for exercising their right to this freedom.

Prof. T. Bajanowski

President of the DGRM