Case No Country TUR 5/2013 03/12/2013 Turkey AL Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Health; 30/01/2014 Allegations concerning a draft health law on “the organization and duties of the Ministry of Health and its attached units and amendments in some laws”. According to the information received, the Turkish Parliament is, after initial debates in June 2013, considering adoption of this bill, which would criminalize the provision of independent emergency health care by qualified practitioners throughout Turkey and provide the Ministry of Health with unprecedented control over healthcare practices in the country. It is further reported that the bill does not comply with articles 97 and 98 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalises the refusal by medical personnel of emergency assistance. Further, the bill is reported to include provisions that undermine patient privacy and medical professional ethics. Concern is in particular expressed at the bill’s alleged negative impact on the ability of health workers to carry out their professional responsibilities without interference or fear of reprisal. USA 19/2013 Summary 03/12/2013 United States of executions; JUA America Torture; Reply 19/12/2013 Alleged prolonged solitary confinement and imminent execution of a death row prisoner, following a trial that did not strictly observe death penalty safeguards. According to the information received, Mr. Askari Abdullah Muhammed, age 62, was sentenced to death in 1975 for a murder he allegedly committed in 1974. In 1988 his death sentence was overturned but reinstated in 1996. In 1983, Mr. Muhammad was for a second time sentenced to death for allegedy murdering a prison guard. He was reportedly at that time placed in solitary confinement in the Q Wing of Florida State Prison where he remained detained until 1989. Mr. Muhammad reportedly suffers from serious mental illness and was at the time of his first trial declared legally insane by an expert. On this basis, in 2001, the trial court overturned his death sentence. However, the death sentence was reinstated by the Florida Supreme Court. On 18 November 2013, the same Court reportedly issued a stay of execution until 27 December 2013 and remanded the case to court for an evidentiary hearing on Florida’s revised execution protocol issued in September 2013. If the court rules against him, a new execution date could be set for the first week of January 2014. A/HRC/26/21 10 Date Type