The experience of İstanbul Protocol: efficiency, quality, difficulties in practice

Year 2019, , 886 - 893, 04.09.2019

Nurşen Turan Yurtsever

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.424157

Abstract

Objectives:
Physicians who witness torture and ill treatment
can be placed in a difficult position if their evidence was not accurately
documented. The guidelines and ethical codes of the Istanbul Protocol require
doctors to attend first and foremost to the well-being of their patients and to
remain bound by the principles of medical ethics. The objective of this study
was to compare the efficiency and the quality of the examination of detainees
or alleged torture cases by medical doctors and the difficulties encountered in
this activity.

Methods: A
questionnaire was developed and sent to physicians in Black Sea Shore region of
Turkey before and 1 year after their receiving training according to the
Istanbul Protocol.

Results: There were
42 physicians who had undergone training according to the Istanbul Protocol and
had answered the questionnaire; 28.6% of these were women and 71.4% men. These
physicians applied the Istanbul Protocol more frequently after having received
training on the Protocol Manual as compared to before the training. The 52.4%
of these physicians reported having been the object of violence or
intimidation.

Conclusions: It was
determined that the physicians' knowledge of physical and psychological
examination increased following their training according to the Istanbul
Protocol. 

Keywords

İstanbul Protocol, human right, torture

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