The Prosecutor of Amol Reports the Discovery of a Baby Trafficking Network in the City

The public and revolutionary prosecutor of Amol city in Mazandaran province announced the arrest of six individuals, the dismissal of a government official, and the summons of 26 others on charges of membership and activity in a network related to the buying and selling of infants. Ali Talebi stated on Tuesday, November 15, to the news agency 'Mizan' that members of this network were engaged in illegal activities related to the buying and selling of infants and illegal abortions. Talebi reported that two midwifery experts were involved in this network, conducting illegal and unhygienic abortions and deliveries in unauthorized locations. Other accusations against these two midwives and other members of the network include 'receiving funds for renting wombs' and selling infants in various cities across Iran. These individuals have also been charged with 'acquisition of illicit wealth,' 'forgery of government documents,' and 'use of forged documents.' The prosecutor of Amol further stated that these individuals would be tried for 'preparing and organizing fake contracts for applicants seeking birth certificates for infants,' 'sending false information to relevant authorities for issuing birth certificates,' and 'receiving bribes.' So far, six people have been arrested, including a government official who has also been dismissed from his position, according to this judicial authority. Talebi mentioned the cooperation of some government agencies in this case but did not name them. The summoning of 26 individuals and the discovery of two infants from the locations where network members operated, as well as the closure of two unhygienic abortion centers, are other aspects of this case. According to the prosecutor of Amol, members of this network 'confessed during interrogations to buying and selling infants for amounts ranging from 15 to 40 million tomans.' The buying and selling of infants has become a social crisis in Iran, with officials identifying the main factors contributing to this phenomenon as 'economic poverty,' 'cultural poverty,' 'addiction,' 'homelessness,' and 'child marriage.' Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, stated that the statistics of infants sold in the womb are 'high,' and 'poverty' is one of the most important factors contributing to this social phenomenon in Iran. In March 2015, Siavash Shahriyar, the Director General of Social and Cultural Affairs of the Tehran Governorate, described part of this phenomenon as 'organized' and 'inhumane,' stating that addicted women sell most of their infants. Fatemeh Daneshvar, the head of the Social Committee of the Tehran City Council, also mentioned on November 7 of the same year that some 'homeless and sex worker' women sell their infants after giving birth for prices ranging from '100 to 200 thousand tomans.' The Legal Department of the Iranian Judiciary has declared the buying and selling of children, 'even under the guise of adoption,' as a 'criminal act.' Iranian officials have approved a new directive to control and combat the phenomenon of baby selling, under which infants will be handed over to social services after birth, and their mothers will be sent to addiction treatment centers.