International Forensic Medicine Congress gathers 40 nations in Antalya

The 21st International Forensic Medicine Days Congress opened on Monday in Türkiye's southern province of Antalya — a premier Mediterranean destination — drawing forensic specialists, academics and judicial officials from 41 countries to examine developments in addiction, toxicology and expert witness protocols.

Addiction and expert witness standards

The session on "Addiction and Expert Witness Practice Around the World" was chaired by Ahmet Belce of the Council of Forensic Medicine's 5th Specialization Board and Ankara Regional Court of Appeals prosecutor Ahmet Ulutas.

EU Drugs Agency Chief Coordinator Isabelle Giraudon presented the "EUDA European Drug Report" on recent drug-related death trends across Europe, while Turkish National Police TUBİM Branch head Nuri Gungor outlined national monitoring activities and developments in combating narcotics trafficking. Council of Forensic Medicine members Gokhan Umut and Yasin Kavla examined the relationship between psychoactive substance use and criminal responsibility, as well as links between substance use disorders and violent crime. Hakan Coskunol, general coordinator of the Turkish Green Crescent Society's YEDAM Counseling Centers, detailed rehabilitation protocols for forensic cases involving addiction.

Forensic toxicology and pharmacology

The subsequent session on "Forensic Toxicology and Expert Witness Practice" was led by Court of Cassation member Nurullah Bodur and Erciyes University Medical Biochemistry professor Cigdem Karakukcu.

South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University faculty member Heesun Chung joined remotely to discuss sex-related pharmacokinetic differences in toxicological analysis, while Serbian National Forensic Center expert Natasa Radosavljevic Stevanovic addressed the role of forensic sciences in combating drug trafficking through the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes. University of New South Wales academic Abdullah Demirkol presented comparative analysis of expert witness practices in Australian addiction medicine, while Council of Forensic Medicine specialists Oya Tanc Yeter, Eda Yigit and Faruk Asicioglu concluded the day's proceedings with examinations of psychoactive substance detection processes, new psychoactive substance assessments, and forensic medical evaluation of drug manufacturing cases.

The congress, organized with Anadolu as global communication partner, will continue through September 27 at the Foundation for Strengthening the Justice Organization's Antalya facility.