Six hospital personnel charged with illegal abortion in Turkish Cyprus
Ömer Bilge – LEFKOŞA
A criminal case against a number of personnel at a hospital in Turkish Cyprus has unearthed the alleged illegal abortions of fetuses which had developed beyond five months old, including at least one full-term fetus. In the case opened in the city of Girne, otherwise known as Kyrenia, in Turkish Cyprus against six people, including the hospital’s owners, head physician, a doctor, an obstetrician and a nurse, the suspects were charged with allegedly carrying out abortions for several later-stage developed fetuses and then secretly burying them. The fetuses were initially found buried in a field in February.
In a hearing of the case, the secretary of the hospital provided testimony, saying that after an abortion procedure in January a nurse was crying and said: “‘It was a beautiful baby girl and she was alive.’” The testimony added: “They later left the hospital with a black plastic bag in their hands.”
“In December 2015, a girl who was aged 17-18 came with her mother and father. She was pregnant. When she was leaving her baby was taken,” added the witness in court testimony.
