In Türkiye, 47 people, including medical professionals, are on trial for their alleged involvement in a shocking newborn trafficking scam. Prosecutors have accused doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers of orchestrating the fraudulent transfer of infants between hospitals, leading to at least 10 deaths.

According to the 1,400-page indictment, the defendants allegedly gave false medical diagnoses to newborns to justify their transfer to 19 private hospitals. There, newborns were allegedly kept in neonatal intensive care units for unnecessarily long periods, with those affected receiving inflated Social Security payments for each day of hospitalization.

The defendants deny any wrongdoing and, according to the BBC, insist they made the decisions in good faith and were acting in the best interests of the children.

One of the accused, Dr. Firat Sari, defended the actions of medical staff in an interview with the Associated Press news agency, saying: “Everything was done according to procedures.”

However, the 1,400-page indictment alleges that this elaborate scheme exploited both vulnerable families and the healthcare system. Authorities say those charged worked in tandem, sharing profits generated from prolonged and often unjustified neonatal treatment.

The trial sparked public outrage. Outside the Istanbul courthouse, protesters chanted slogans such as “baby killers will be held accountable” and “private hospitals should be closed,” the Associated Press reported.

The investigation, opened in March 2023 after an anonymous denunciation, has already led to the closure of 10 hospitals linked to this affair. If convicted, the defendants will face serious charges, including “negligent homicide,” fraud and forgery, and lengthy prison sentences.

(With contribution from agencies)