Turkish police detained on Wednesday the head of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Sebnem Korur Fincanci, for allegedly "spreading terrorist group propaganda".
Fincanci had confirmed allegations that the Turkish armed forces had used chemical weapons against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.
An investigation was launched over statements Fincanci made to PKK militant group-linked media last week, commenting on the alleged chemical weapons use by the Turkish armed forces.
Fincancı was arrested in her house in Istanbul and brought to the Directorate of security for questioning and then to the Anti-terror branch police in Ankara, a TTB spokesman said.
In a televised interview last week, Fincanci stated that she had previously examined PKK corpses, adding: “Obviously, one of the toxic-poisonous chemical gases that directly affects the nervous system has been used.”
Allegations that the Turkish Armed Forces used chemical weapons are completely baseless and untrue," the Turkish Defense Ministry responded.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin slammed the claims as a “lie” and part of a “slander campaign” targeting the military, police, and intelligence.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters last week that armed forces had never used chemical weapons and that legal action would be taken against anyone who made such accusations.
The Ankara chief prosecutor's office said a request had been made to a civil court for the termination of Fincanci's role as head of the association and for the appointment of a new chairperson.
The TTB described her arrest as a "political lynching" and said it was the final stage of pressure exerted by authorities on the medical group and its leaders.
It demanded that she be released immediately after her statement is taken.
Meanwhile, police carried out raids in several Turkish cities on Tuesday and detained 11 journalists affiliated with pro-Kurdish media.
The detentions come days after Türkiye ratified a new media law that mandates prison terms for people deemed to be spreading “disinformation”.
Police confirmed the detentions with a statement posted on Twitter saying the suspects were taken away for news or content “that incites the public to hatred and enmity.”
The Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) tweeted that the 11 journalists were taken into custody in İstanbul and Ankara as well as in other cities.
The detainees work for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya news agency and JINNEWS, according to the union.
Earlier this month, Türkiye’s parliament approved a law that could see reporters and social media users jailed for up to three years for spreading so-called disinformation.”
The Republican People's Party (CHP), a main opposition party, has applied to the Supreme Court to stop the execution of the law.
