Law on violence against health workers adopted with support of five parties

A law on measures to be taken in higher education for the coronavirus pandemic, along with a regulation envisaging heavy sanctions on the violence against health workers, was adopted at the parliament on early April 15.

With the joint proposal of the five political parties that have a group in the parliament, a regulation envisaging heavy sanctions on the violence in health employees was added in the law.

Accordingly, the sentences in the acts of violence against health employees are increased and the imprisonment sentences will not be postponed.

Under the law, penalties for threatening, insulting, injuring, or hindering healthcare workers from doing their duties would be increased by 50 percent

The sentence for an injured attack on healthcare workers will be between 1.5 years and 4.5 years in the absence of other aggravating reasons, between 9 months and 3 years in threats, between 4.5 months and 3 years in insults.

According to the law, which includes comprehensive crisis-oriented measures to combat COVID-19, as well as crisis periods, compensation education will be made in cases where unusual situations such as earthquakes, epidemics and unfavorable weather conditions require a long term break. Under these conditions, universities will be able to continue their education during the summer holidays.

With the law, which also enables summer education and compensation programs at universities that interrupt education activities due to the pandemic, the conditions of expulsions and seizing foundation universities that have financial difficulties are also reorganized.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on April 8 submitted the bill about violence cases on health workers,...