An 18-year-old Gambian woman has been detained at the airport in Turkey after she jetted into the Asian country on transit.
The Gambian woman (name withheld) was travelling to Germany when she transited in Istanbul, Turkey. She was held after officials concluded she was travelling on a fake Swedish residential permit, according to the foreign ministry.
The spokesman of the foreign ministry Saikou Ceesay explained: “On the 28 December 2020, a Gambian lady bearing the passport name XX* was travelling to Germany on transit to Istanbul and at the Istanbul airport, the Turkish immigration police realised that the Sweden residential permit document she was travelling with to Germany was fake and they therefore put her under immigration control.
“During her stay at the immigration, the immigration personnel realised she was eight months pregnant and took her to hospital. When examined they realised that her condition is critical and advised her that there is need for her to undergo operation in order to save her life and that of the child which she refused on the ground that her delivery period is not yet due.
“It was there that the Turkish immigration police returned her to the airport and the following day her conditioned worsened. They put her in an ambulance and while on their way to the hospital she delivered inside the ambulance. The baby was in a critical condition and it was rushed to a more sophisticated hospital to save her life while she was admitted in a different hospital.
“It was there that the Embassy officials in the person of Serign Modou Njie ambassador designate to Turkey flew to Istanbul to have first hand information about her state of affairs. He visited her as well as the baby and took photos of the baby. He had discussions with the Turkish officials and the Turkish immigration officials were officially engaged by the Embassy for Ms X* to be given temporary stay in Turkey until such a time when the baby and Ms X* will be fit for travel and that has been happily granted.
“The ministry of foreign affairs will continue to protect Gambian citizens wherever they are through its embassies and representatives around the world because this government is very much concerned about welfare of Gambian citizens wherever they may be.”
The woman however told The Fatu Network security at the Istanbul airport told her her documents were not ‘correct’ and would have to be deported back to Gambia.
She explained, crying: “They brought me to the deportation centre. I was pregnant and my stomach disturbed me the following day. I told the security because I was locked inside a room.
“They checked me and said I should be operated and I told them no because I didn’t have much time in the country and I would also need to contact my family.
“But then on Thursday in the morning my stomach ached to the point I could no more bear it. They took me out and I delivered in the ambulance while they were taking me. I wanted to take a photo of my child but they refused. Because I felt I might not see my child again.
“When we got to the hospital, they said I have blood pressure and that the baby was premature. They took the baby to another hospital and held me in that hospital.
“I then contacted my family who contacted the embassy and Mr Njie came to the hospital and I explained everything to him. Mr Njie told me he was going to that hospital after he finished visiting me.
“The police were always coming to the hospital to ask the doctors when they’re discharging me. And day before yesterday, they took me down to the first floor. They brought me a document to sign to discharge me. I refused as I told them I didn’t understand Turkish.
“I called Mr Njie who spoke with the police. I still refused to sign and after one hour a police vehicle came and the hospital said I have to leave the hospital. I got out and entered the vehicle. I connected my phone to the car’s radio and after it got some charge, I called Mr Njie and told him they were taking me and I have not seen my child. I’m at the airport right now and anything can happen.”
