47 people have been prosecuted in Turkey in connection with an alleged scam in which newborn babies were transferred between hospitals for profit.
Prosecutors say doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers are responsible for the deaths of at least 10 children.
The defendants are accused of misdiagnosing the babies to transfer them to 19 private hospitals, where they were allegedly kept in intensive care in neonatal units for long, sometimes unnecessary treatments.
According to the 1,400-page indictment, those involved shared Social Security payments earned for each day a child lived in the unit. The accused deny wrongdoing.
They say they made decisions in good faith and took the best possible care of the children.
One of the suspects, Dr. Firat Sari, told prosecutors that everything was done “according to procedure,” the Associated Press news agency reported.
As the trial began, dozens of people took part in protests outside the court near Istanbul, chanting “children’s killers will be held accountable” and “private hospitals must be closed”.
Police began an inquiry in March 2023 following an anonymous tip-off.
As a result of the investigation, the licenses of ten hospitals have been revoked.
If convicted, the accused face lengthy prison terms for “manslaughter”, fraud and forgery.
