19.02.2025 13:51
The third hearing of the trial of the Newborn Gang, which abandoned babies to death in intensive care units, is ongoing. While the statements of the defendants and their lawyers continue, an important decision was made by the Health Professions Board of the Ministry of Health regarding the doctors on trial. The doctors being tried in the Newborn case have been banned from practicing for 3 years.
The trial of 46 defendants, including the manager and members of the Newborn gang, who are accused of unfairly profiting by transferring newborn babies to hospitals they have agreements with and causing the deaths of the babies, continues today with the third hearing.
Before the hearing, the courtroom became chaotic as a dispute broke out between a defendant's lawyer and a gendarmerie officer. The argument escalated with the participation of other lawyers. The presiding judge warned the lawyers.
3-YEAR SUSPENSION FROM THE PROFESSION
With the decision made by the Health Professions Board of the Ministry of Health, the doctors on trial in the Newborn case have been suspended from the profession for 3 years. The penalty was given at the maximum limit. The penalty given at the maximum limit has been notified to the doctors.
STATEMENTS OF DEFENDANTS AND THEIR LAWYERS ARE BEING TAKEN
During yesterday's hearing, witnesses testified regarding the gang accused of the deaths of babies for money. In today's hearing, the statements of the defendants and their lawyers are being taken. Chief Physician of Güney Hospital, Ali Dirik, stated in his defense, "I had a fight with Fırat Sarı. The agreement was made by Müzeyyen Yurtoğlu. I am trying to break the agreement, I am trying to prevent the medications from being invoiced, Müzeyyen Hanım wants to continue with Fırat Sarı. But I am in custody. I object to this. If there is a fraud specific to Güney Hospital, the responsible hospital owner is Ayşe Müzeyyen Yurtoğlu. She is the one playing with millions. She doesn't even pay our compensation. I request my release."
"BRO, I AM THINKING OF DYING"
After Dirik's statement, the testimony of Dr. Mehmet Gürül was taken. Gürül expressed his sadness over the death of İlker Gönen, one of the defendants who took his own life in prison, saying, "I have a conscience burden. When he was taken into custody on July 29, he said, 'Bro, I am thinking of dying.' I told the police; they said, 'He is just acting,' but he wasn't." Gürül held the media responsible for the death.
Gürül continued, "I take care of my own intensive care units. I manage my own intensive care units. I am not here for malpractice. Either separate me from this case or do not equate me with these pediatricians. A baby is lying down, and the doctor is unaware; that cannot happen with me. I use my e-signature; it cannot be said that he used it or she used it." The statements of the defendants have ended, and the requests of the defendants' lawyers will be heard.
WHAT HAPPENED IN YESTERDAY'S HEARING?
After the last hearing, Dr. İlker Gönen, one of the defendants accused of being a gang leader along with Fırat Sarı, had committed suicide. When the hearing began, Gönen's lawyer, Aydın Mantar, stated that he would take over the defense of Fırat Sarı from now on. He claimed that an extrajudicial execution had taken place and requested that the hearings be held in private due to the claim that the defendants' safety was not guaranteed. Afterward, witnesses were heard. Nurse Şenay Çalıkoğlu answered questions regarding the death of baby Opera. Çalıkoğlu explained that when the baby was brought to the hospital, the procedures were handled by the defendant nurse Hakan Doğukan Taşçı, and she did not see any intervention from Dr. Şeyhmus Çelik.
She also claimed that the medical directives that doctors should provide to nurses were given by nurse Doğukan Taşçı. What was described indicated that the medical directives and official 112 protocol numbers were not taken into account. Regarding the death of baby Kaya, the information of the night supervisor of the closed Güney Hospital, Furkan Çalışkan, was consulted. Çalışkan stated that he took baby Kaya to the hospital upon being informed by the ambulance driver Gıyasettin Mert Özdemir, who is among the defendants in the case.
THEY ACCUSED FIRAT SARI
When asked about the witness statements and the prosecutor's opinion, detained defendant Fırat Sarı stated that they had lost their colleague İlker Gönen, saying, "We lost the best pediatrician in Turkey. İlker, a father of three children, we would never think he would do such a thing." Detained defendant Hakan Doğukan Taşçı also stated that he did not find it right for defendant Fırat Sarı to speak about İlker Gönen, claiming that Sarı had tried to have Gönen arrested for months and denied everything. Detained defendant Hasan Basri Gök claimed that Fırat Sarı was just acting, stealing drugs from the state, and committing fraud in the epicrises.
HOW MUCH PRISON TIME IS SOUGHT IN THE CASE?
In the indictment, it is requested that suspect Fırat Sarı be sentenced to a total of 177 years and 6 months to 582 years and 9 months in prison for 10 counts of negligent homicide, qualified fraud, establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, and 11 counts of forgery in official documents. For Gıyasettin Mert Özdemir, a prison sentence of 180 years to 589 years and 9 months is sought for negligent homicide, unlawful acquisition of personal data, fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations, establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, and forgery in official documents.
In the indictment, similar prison sentences are foreseen for other suspects for similar crimes, and it is also requested that security measures specific to legal entities be applied since fraud was committed to obtain material benefits for the hospitals and the companies to which the hospitals are affiliated, and that the hospitals and companies be closed and their assets confiscated.