Teenager who escaped orphanage in Turkey returned to Uzbekistan

A 15-year-old Uzbek boy who ran away from an orphanage in Turkey has been safely returned to Uzbekistan, accompanied by his grandmother. The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul reported the development.

The 66-year-old grandmother, Ya.Kh., reached out to the Consulate General seeking assistance to bring her grandson, Ya.A., born in 2009, from an orphanage in the Tekirdag region of Turkey back to Uzbekistan.

Since 2022, Ya.Kh. had faced various administrative and legal challenges preventing her from bringing her grandson to Uzbekistan, putting her in a difficult position.

In September 2024, a Turkish court ruled in favor of granting Ya.Kh. custody of her grandson, allowing her to take him to Uzbekistan. However, before this decision could take effect, a "wanted" notice was issued for Ya.A. due to his escape from the orphanage. Following the orphanage administration’s request, the Turkish Justice Department charged Ya.Kh. with "organizing her grandson’s escape."

After discussions between the Consulate General, the Foreign Migration Agency, and the Women’s Rights Protection Society, an agreement was reached to dismiss the charges and facilitate Ya.A.’s return to Uzbekistan. On January 12, Ya.A. was safely returned to Uzbekistan, accompanied by his grandmother.

In a related development, 15 children without parental care who had been in Russia were also recently returned to Uzbekistan. These children were initially placed in a social rehabilitation center for minors in Moscow before being repatriated.