The disciplinary chamber of the regional council of the order of doctors of the Grand-Est announced, Friday, November 25, the suspension for one year of the medical activities of the former deputy of Bas-Rhin Martine Wonder, a trained psychiatrist and a figure of “covidosceptics”. She was the subject of two complaints for controversial comments on masks and vaccines against Covid-19.
“This decision is totally outrageous. I am extremely and deeply concerned about freedom of opinion and freedom of expression in our country”she reacted to Agence France-Presse, announcing her intention to appeal.
“I knew it would be a political decision. Did the ordinal justice have legitimacy to summon me? The whole question is there. In any case, it gives me all the energy I need to continue to fight politically. »
The former MP, elected under the banner of La République en Marche in 2017 before being excluded from the parliamentary group in 2020, was summoned in early November by the regional body after two complaints filed in 2021 by the collective No FakeMed – which aims “the promotion of medicine based on scientific evidence” – and the National Council of the Order of Physicians (CNOM).
“Ethical Responsibility”
“It’s a good decision”reacted Doctor Jean-Christophe Breton, member of No FakeMed. “This is the second elected sanctioned by the disciplinary chamber, this confirms that a declaration outside Parliament engages ethical responsibility. But there is an appeal, so we will have to wait for the new decision. »
On appeal, it is up to the national disciplinary chamber to rule. It is chaired by a professional magistrate, State Councillor, and composed of assessors, doctors elected within the order.
During the hearing in early November, the plaintiffs accused Mr.me Wonder to have promoted“erroneous information” and disseminated “care protocols” against Covid “without scientific basis”based in particular on ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine, on her Twitter account, where she presents herself as a psychiatrist.
According to the defence, she was speaking as an MP
They argued that parliamentary immunity did not apply to comments made by the former MP outside the Chamber because it “used his status as a doctor to express his opinions”especially when she went to rallies denouncing the wearing of the mask or that she argued that the PCR tests gave false results.
According to the defence, Martine Wonner spoke as a deputy, not as a doctor, a profession she no longer practiced since her election in 2017, although she remained registered with the departmental council of the order of doctors of Lower Rhine.
“Madame Martine Wonner, after having suffered despicable attacks when she was a Member of Parliament, is today sullied by a decision which undermines not only her honor, but also her probity and which calls into question the freedom of expression in its principle, but even more in the context of its parliamentary function “, are indignant his lawyers in a press release.
On November 4, the disciplinary chamber of the order of doctors of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté had for its part pronounced a ban on the practice of medicine for nine months against the radiologist Alain Houpert, senator Les Républicains de Côte-d’ However, for “ethical faults”.