Children’s home administrators detained on allegations of selling minors for prostitution

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

Three administrators of a center housing children from difficult backgrounds, located in the heart of Istanbul, were detained Oct. 9 on allegations that they sold underage girls for prostitution.

A former director of the Children’s Home and Rehabilitation Center in Tarlabaşı, a popular neighborhood close to the central Taksim area, and two of his deputies were taken into custody as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul police.

Up to 40 girls, mostly from divorced families and some as young as 10 years of age, were residing at the center. The police launched an investigation a year ago following a tip claiming that the administrators were procuring the girls for prostitution.

The center was shut down two months ago and its director suspended after an internal investigation of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies.

The children have given testimonies to the police accompanied by a psychologist, daily Hürriyet said.

The three administrators were sent to court. The number of those detained could increase, reports also said.