Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
A Turkish heart surgeon working in Germany has been booted out of his job after saying homosexuality was a disease.
Metin Cakir, who worked as a doctor in Karlsruhe, a city in the south-western German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, at the local Helios Clinic, posted on Twitter saying: “As a doctor, I would like to state that homosexuality and transsexuality are diseases.”
The posting caused a storm of outrage and the medic deleted his account, but was fired nevertheless the next day by hospital managers who posted a message saying: “As a company we promote the diversity of our employees. Diversity and inclusion of very important to us. He statements in question are in no way consistent with the principles we believe in at Helios. We are reviewing the case internally and reserve the right to take legal action if necessary.” ”
The statement by the doctor was actually echoing the statement made by Turkey’s top cleric Ali Erbas last week.
He is the head of Turkey’s powerful Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) and targeted LGBTI community and HIV-positive individuals during a sermon where he said: “Homosexuality causes diseases and decays lineage.”
He continued with the statement was made on the first day of Ramadan saying: “Islam accepts adultery as one of the biggest sins [haram]. It curses homosexuality, because it causes diseases and decay to lineage.”
At the start of the week, on Monday, the country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan then backed Erbaş, saying: “An attack on our Diyanet head is an attack on the state.”
He added: “Our Diyanet head has made a statement, and with this statement he has fulfilled his duty with regards to his belief, discipline and duty. And what he said is right to the end. Of course our Diyanet head’s remarks are binding for those who define themselves as Muslims.”
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