8-year-old cancer patient dies after belated treatment due to travel ban on mother

News About Turkey - NAT
2 Min Read
Zekiye Ataç and her son Ahmet Burhan.

Ahmet Burhan Ataç, an 8-year-old cancer patient, succumbed to his illness on Thursday after a travel ban on his mother prevented him from receiving treatment in Germany for a month.

Ahmet was diagnosed with osteoid cancer in September 2018 while his father was in pre-trial detention for alleged membership in the Gülen movement.

After the failure of treatments at a local university hospital in Adana, his mother came to public attention with her requests on social media for the release of the father, Harun Reha Ataç, so that the boy would be able to fight the cancer with his father by his side.

As his sickness progressed, doctors recommended an immuno-oncology center in Germany. When contacted about Ahmet, the clinic said he could be treated if he was immediately brought to Germany.

Ahmet traveled to Germany alone in January 2020. However, he could not be accompanied by his mother, Zekiye Ataç, on whom a travel ban had been imposed due to her own prosecution over alleged Gülen links.

Adana prosecutors declined to lift the mother’s travel ban despite repeated applications, while a businessman who hosted the 8-year-old in Germany revealed that his morale was low and he was unable to eat. Ahmet subsequently returned home.

Zekiye Ataç had struggled for a month to get a passport to accompany her son for cancer treatment in Germany.

On March 3 she was finally allowed to travel to Germany with her son following a social media campaign supported by rights activists and celebrities in Turkey.

However, the cancer had spread throughout Ahmet’s body, his mother said, resulting in their recent return to Turkey.

Turkey has been conducting a relentless crackdown targeting Gülen movement followers after accusing the movement of orchestrating a failed coup in July 2016, despite the movement’s denial of any involvement.”

Source: Turkish Minute

Share This Article
Founded by a small group of Turkish/Kurdish scholars who have been subjected to persecution at the hands of the Erdogan dictatorship, News About Turkey (NAT) has emerged as a platform that is both exceptional and invaluable. Our objective is to provide you with a comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of the events and developments in Turkey (Türkiye), a country with profound historical and geopolitical importance, a vibrant culture, and a strategic location. Our founders, who have been purged by the Erdogan regime after the so-called coup attempt, are aware of the significance of journalism that is both free and independent. Because of this understanding, we are committed to providing reporting and analysis that is both objective and comprehensive. To give you the most thorough coverage of Turkey, we go further than just scratching the surface. Keep in touch with us so that you can have a better understanding of Turkey's developing story as well as vital and comprehensive news items. Whether you are a resident of Turkey, a member of the Turkish/Kurdish diaspora, or simply someone who has a strong interest in this vital country, we are the most reliable source for news that not only informs but also inspires and engages you.
Leave a comment