Health workers go on trial in Turkey accused of private care scheme linked to 10 infant deaths

ISTANBUL (AP) — Doctors, nurses and an ambulance driver are among 47 people on trial accused of causing the deaths of 10 infants as part of an alleged scheme to defraud Turkey’s social security system.

The defendants are accused of transferring babies to neonatal units of 19 private hospitals where the infants were allegedly kept for prolonged and sometimes unnecessary treatments. At least 10 newborns are alleged to have died in the past year due to neglect or malpractice in facilities that were unprepared to treat them.

Prosecutors at the trial, which opened in Istanbul on Monday, say the defendants also falsified reports to make the babies’ condition appear more serious with the aim obtaining payments from the social security institution.

The main defendants have denied any wrongdoing, insisting they made the best possible decisions and face punishment for unavoidable unwanted outcomes.

The case, which emerged last month, has sparked public outrage and calls for a greater oversight of the health care system. Authorities have since revoked the licenses and closed nine of the 19 hospitals that were implicated in the scandal.

Dr. Firat Sari, the main defendant who operated the neonatal intensive care units of several private hospitals in Istanbul, is facing a sentence of up to 583 years in prison.

He is charged with establishing an organization with the aim of committing a crime, defrauding public institutions, forgery of official documents, and homicide by negligence.

During questioning by prosecutors, Sari denied accusations that the babies were not given the proper care, that the neonatal units were understaffed or that his employees were not appropriately qualified, according to a 1,400-page indictment.

He told prosecutors: “Everything is in accordance with procedures.”

Dozens of demonstrators joined protests outside the courthouse, chanting: “Baby killers will be held accountable” and “‘Private hospitals should be shut down.”

Over 350 families have petitioned prosecutors or other state institutions seeking investigations into the deaths of their loved ones, according to state media.

Among them is Hacire Akinci, 42, who lost her baby last year after eight years of fertility treatments.

“They gave us a medical report that said the baby had died of natural causes. But apparently that wasn't the case,” she told reporters outside the courthouse. “I want charges to be brought, I want justice to be served.”

The case has led to calls for the resignation of Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu, who was the Istanbul provincial health director at the time some of the deaths occurred. Ozgur Ozel, the main opposition party leader, has called for all hospitals involved to be seized by the state and nationalized.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said those responsible for the deaths would be severely punished but warned against placing all the blame on the country’s health care system.

“We will not allow our health care community to be battered because of a few rotten apples,” said Erdogan.

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Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey.

Activists chant slogans during a protest outside the courthouse where dozens of Turkish healthcare workers including doctors and nurses go on trial for fraud and causing the deaths of 10 infants, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday Nov, 18, 2024.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Activists, some holding banners with Turkish writing that some of them reads, " Children should not be killed , so they can eat candies", " I couldn't play with my toys because I was killed" and " If I had not been killed this toy would have been my sleeping friend " during a protest outside the courthouse where dozens of Turkish healthcare workers including doctors and nurses go on trial for fraud and causing the deaths of 10 infants, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday Nov, 18, 2024.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

An activist holds a baby toy and a banner with Turkish writing that reads, "If I had not been killed this would have been my sleeping friend" during a protest outside the courthouse where dozens of Turkish healthcare workers including doctors and nurses go on trial for fraud and causing the deaths of 10 infants, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday Nov, 18, 2024.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Activists some holding banners with Turkish writing that read, " Children should not be killed , so they can eat candies", " I couldn't play with my toys because I was killed" and " If I had not been killed this toy would have been my sleeping friend " during a protest outside the courthouse where dozens of Turkish healthcare workers including doctors and nurses go on trial for fraud and causing the deaths of 10 infants, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday Nov, 18, 2024.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

LONDON (AP) — Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was banned for seven matches on Monday for making an offensive comment about South Koreans in relation to a remark about Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min.

The English Football Association said in a statement that an independent commission also imposed a £100,000 ($126,000) fine on the player. The sanction can be appealed.

The suspension only covers domestic matches, meaning that the 27-year-old Bentancur will be available to play for his London club in the Europa League. Spurs take on Roma in the league phase of the tournament on Nov. 28.

Appearing on a Uruguayan television show in June, Bentancur was asked for a Tottenham player’s jersey and replied, “Sonny’s?” He added it could be Son’s cousin, too, because “more or less they are all the same.”

Bentancur later apologised to Son on Instagram, saying it was a “very bad joke” and he would “never disrespect you or hurt you.”

Son accepted the excuses, saying that his teammate had made a mistake and “would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive.”

“We are brothers and nothing has changed at all,” Son said in June. "We’re past this, we’re united, and we will be back together in preseason to fight for our club as one.”

Bentancur was charged by the English FA in September because he was alleged to have “acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.”

The FA said it constituted an aggravated breach because it included “reference to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.”

Details of the decision released by the commission showed that Bentancur explained his comments “were sarcastic and a gentle rebuke” for the journalist calling his teammate ‘The Korean’, and that he challenged the reporter's description of Son.

In its conclusions, the regulatory commission, however, wrote that “even on the basis of the player’s evidence and submissions, we consider the player’s conduct in using the words he did, in the full context in which they were used, was clearly abusive and insulting, and would amount to misconduct."

The commission added that it also took into consideration the fact that Bentancur did not intend to offend Son or anyone else.

Bentancur was also ordered to attend a “face-to-face education program”, details of which will be provided later. The course should be completed by March 11 next year.

“If the player fails to complete the program satisfactorily in that period, he will be immediately suspended from all domestic club football until such time as the mandatory program is completed,” the FA said.

Tottenham and Bentancur did not immediately react to the punishment.

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Galatasaray's Berkan Kutlu challenges for the ball Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Galatasaray and Tottenham Hotspur at Ali Sami Yen stadium, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)