Kidnapping of a Newborn in Mashhad to Help 'Alleviate Depression'

A newborn baby, kidnapped a few hours after birth during visiting hours from 17 Shahrivar Hospital in Mashhad, was found after 30 hours. According to IRNA news agency, quoting Kiomars Afseri, the head of 17 Shahrivar Hospital, the baby girl was abducted by a woman who had recently 'visited several hospitals in Mashhad to obtain a newborn.' As Mr. Afseri stated, the woman was compelled to return her adopted child to its biological parents who had requested the return of their child, and she took such action to help 'alleviate her depression.' According to the report, this woman, 'with the cooperation of her relatives,' kidnapped the newborn from 17 Shahrivar Hospital during visiting hours and handed her over to her sister-in-law. The website 'Quds Online' reported on Bahman 19 that various sections of 17 Shahrivar Hospital were sealed off following the 'disappearance' of a newborn in this hospital. The site reported that a newborn had 'gone missing' after birth in this hospital, and there was no information on her fate. The hospital staff of 17 Shahrivar went on 'high alert' to find clues regarding the incident of the missing newborn. Kiomars Afseri, the hospital head, also confirmed the news of the baby's disappearance, stating that 'after learning of this incident, all sections of the hospital were sealed off.' According to the report, police were also stationed at this hospital, which is one of three hospitals belonging to social security in Razavi Khorasan province. Two days prior to this incident, Siavash Shahrivar, the director of social and cultural affairs of Tehran province, announced that part of the 'baby selling' in Iran is 'organized.' Fatemeh Daneshvar, head of the social committee of Tehran City Council, also stated on Aban 16 that several women 'living on the streets and sex workers' sell their newborns after childbirth for prices ranging from '100 to 200 thousand tomans.' In recent years, numerous reports have been published in Iranian media regarding the buying and selling of children. Reports indicate that working children in Tehran are bought and sold based on their gender and experience for prices ranging from '100 thousand tomans to five million tomans' and are mostly used for begging. Meanwhile, the Legal Department of Iran's Judiciary has declared the buying and selling of children 'even under the guise of adoption' as 'a criminal act.'