The trial of the leaders and members of the “Newborn Gang,” who caused the deaths of babies by referring them to hospitals they had agreements with for illicit gains, has begun in Istanbul.
The investigation into an organized crime gang accused of causing the deaths of 10 newborns due to negligence has concluded, and an indictment has been prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The indictment has been submitted to the Bakırköy 22nd High Criminal Court, where the trial of 47 defendants, 22 of whom are in custody, began today.
Before the trial commenced, a heated debate arose between members of Parliament, bar association presidents and the court president, who suggested that those not involved in the case be removed from the courtroom. Following a 15-minute recess, 41 defendants were allowed into the courtroom, and the first session of the trial began after the defendants were identified.
The defendants are accused of transferring newborns to neonatal units in 19 private hospitals, where the babies were allegedly subjected to prolonged and unnecessary treatments. At least 10 infants are believed to have died due to neglect or malpractice in facilities that were ill-equipped to provide proper care. The prosecutors argue that the defendants falsified reports to exaggerate the severity of the babies’ conditions, aiming to secure payments from Türkiye’s social security institution.
The main defendants, including Dr. Firat Sari, have denied any wrongdoing, asserting that they made the best possible decisions under the circumstances and that the deaths were unavoidable. Sari, who oversaw neonatal intensive care units at several private hospitals in Istanbul, faces up to 583 years in prison on charges of establishing a criminal organization, defrauding public institutions, forgery of official documents and manslaughter by negligence. He has denied the allegations of substandard care, claiming the units were appropriately staffed and his staff was properly qualified.
The scandal, which emerged last month, has ignited public outrage and calls for greater oversight of the health care system. In response, authorities have revoked the licenses of nine of the 19 hospitals involved.
The case has also prompted calls for the resignation of Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu, who was the Istanbul provincial health director at the time of some of the deaths. Opposition leader Özgür Özel has called for the hospitals involved to be nationalized and seized by the state.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged that those responsible for the deaths will face severe punishment but warned against blaming the entire health care system for the actions of a few individuals. “We will not allow our health care community to be tarnished because of a few bad actors,” Erdoğan said.
Meanwhile, over 350 families have petitioned prosecutors and other state institutions for investigations into the deaths of their loved ones.