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Dublin: 12 °C Sunday 19 May, 2013

Fergie charged by Turkish court over orphans film

The Duchess of York secretly filmed orphanages in Turkey for a 2008 ITV documentary – but Turkey now says she broke the law.

Sarah Ferguson, pictured at an event in London last November
Sarah Ferguson, pictured at an event in London last November
Image: Suzan/Suzan/EMPICS Entertainment

DUCHESS OF YORK Sarah Ferguson has been charged by a Turkish court for allegedly illegally filming children in an orphanage in the country for a television documentary.

She faces a maximum term  of more than 22 years in prison if convicted.

Ferguson visited orphans near Turkish capital Ankara as part of a documentary for ITV’s Tonight programme in 2008.

She has now been accused of going “against the law in acquiring footage and violating privacy” of five of the children who were filmed, the BBC reports.

Ferguson was charged in absentia in a court today.

The former wife of Britain’s Prince Andrew travelled  to Turkey in 2008 to investigate conditions in the orphanages. The documentary showed images of children tied to their beds or left in cribs unattended, according to AP.

It is not known why it has taken almost four years for charges to be brought. A trial date has not yet been set.

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- Additional reporting by the Associated Press

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Comments (20 Comments)

  • I hope the people who tied children to beds have been charged!

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  • when something like this happens it should be exposed. The Turkish government should be giving her a commendation not a conviction. Sound like they’re miffed that they got found out on their human rights issues again.

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  • If i was tied to a bed, someone violating my privacy would not be my biggest concern.

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  • Needed to be exposed. Hope the Turks don’t pursue this. Almost as incomprehensible as the fact that the kid who murdered the two Irish women had to have a bone marrow investigation to prove his age. Don’t they register births in Turkey?

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    • well not sure how true but I remember hearing following: no birthregistration on the country side! most villages are so small and far away from towns with registry offices that no one bothers. the families are very poor, so naturally most teenagers (mainly boys) leave their birthplace to look for work (or they recruted directly from home) in tourism areas to earn money.

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  • And turkey want’s to join the EU,Not with them human rights.Then again look at what the EU is turning into?

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  • Seriously, if it’s anybody who should be going to jail, it’s those who tied those poor children to the beds!!!

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  • I honestly read the headline secretly hoping she would be locked up as she always struck me as a bit of a dope, but after reading it , irrespective of her motives, she was highlighting an incredible injustice.

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  • i cant find the turkish part of the program on the internet does anyone know where i can find it or has it been taken off?

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  • Does anyone actually care what this woman does… with high food bills and heating cost going through the roof, no jobs, and everything else I dont give a flying F**K

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  • i cant find the turkish parts of the program does anyone have a link or know if it has been taken off?

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  • Wouldn’t the statists among you want to live in such a wonderful country as Turkey where the government makes sure all citizens have high morals and nobody says fu*k? What a paradise!

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  • Ciaro 13/01/12 #

    She’s

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  • How genuine is this lady?
    Is she using the plight of children to further her own cause?
    She obviously didn’t watch MIDNIGHT EXPRESS.
    As wrong as Turkish policies might be…you have to be cognisant of other countries rules.
    And then again…maybe she is onto something deserving attention.

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    • Well in fairness to her she’s been working on raising awareness of children’s issues since she became a royal. Obviously she wasn’t Diana so didn’t get the same attention/media love-in though, but she has fundraised millions for children’s charities over the years.

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  • Someone should tie Fergie to a bed and film her. Yuck. On second thoughts. Could be a big hit in Turkey though, they’re into everything.

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  • so she sways into another country in search of children in orphanages .. .for tv program .that she was being well paid im sure ..not for the love of children ..for her own ends ..children are very cherished here in turkey .i see it every day .and he was no kid who killed the 2 irish women ..his age will be found out .and if he is convicted .he will serve 2 life sentences 1 after the other .be lucky to get less than 60 yrs jail.and right too ..justice gets done here .not like in other countrys i could name where a slap on the wrist is all thats dished out in courts ..

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  • Ciaro 13/01/12 #

    She’s not interested in the welfare of these children. This is pure self promotion.
    Children should never be secretly filmed, no matter what the justification is.

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    • what’s the alternative. ignore it or not gather evidence only to have the country say it never happened. when would have happened or not if the dying rooms documentary was never secretly filmed. some things need to be exposed and a picture speaks a thousand words.

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