Some of the 510 Ukrainian children brought to Turkey from frontline regions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 were allegedly subjected to abuse at a hotel in Antalya, according to an investigation by the Turkey-based Agos newspaper and Ukrainian outlet Slidstvo.Info.
The incidents reportedly came to light during an official inspection in Mar 2024 by Ukrainian officials, Turkey's Ombudsman Institution and UNICEF. The children were staying in a hotel in Antalya’s Beldibi district under the “Childhood Without War” project, run by Ukraine's Shostak Foundation, which helps people affected by the war, including children who lost their parents.
Despite the findings, prosecutors in both Turkey and Ukraine closed investigations without issuing any indictments.
Abuse and neglect
The inspection team, which found 253 children and 85 adult supervisors at the hotel during the visit, documented multiple cases of abuse and neglect.
According to a report obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), two girls became pregnant as a result of sexual abuse by hotel staff.
The report, signed by 11 Ukrainian officials, states that the girls gave birth without the support of Ukrainian social services. The two alleged perpetrators were identified as hotel kitchen staff aged 21 and 23.
Children who spoke to the journalists said they had been coerced to sign documents stating that “we had nothing negative to say about the staff and that all interactions with Turkish men were consensual.”
An investigation launched in Ukraine in May 2024 was closed in Jun 2025 due to lack of evidence. In Turkey, the Antalya Provincial Family and Social Services Directorate filed a criminal complaint following the findings but prosecutors issued a decision of non-prosecution.
Children punished for not participating in donation events
According to the report, the foundation also involved children in fundraising events where they were made to recite poetry, sing, and dance in front of adults. Those who participated were given extra food and clothing, while those who refused were allegedly punished and excluded from recreational activities.
Shostak denied coercion and said all recordings were approved by the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey.
Following the inspection, the “Childhood Without War” project was terminated in Dec 2024, and the children were returned to Ukraine.
Authorities responsible for the care of orphans in Dnipropetrovsk declined to comment. The Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey also did not respond to inquiries.
Shostak maintained that the project’s closure had nothing to do with abuse allegations.
'States must uphold responsibilities'
Dr. Selmin Cansu Demir, a lawyer specializing in child rights, said the case highlights a failure to meet state obligations for protecting vulnerable children.
“Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, states are required to prevent abuse and ensure victims can access protection mechanisms,” she was quoted as saying.
She added, “Turkey’s obligations apply fully to every child within its borders. This includes ensuring that reported rights violations are investigated, monitored, and punished in a deterrent manner.” (VK)
