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Dr. Genya Ziskind
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Professor Nathan Levitt

Romania: 2 Israeli doctors arrested in egg-trafficking case

Israeli consul-general confirms Professor Nathan Levitt, Dr. Genya Ziskind taken into custody following interrogation over alleged involvement in Israeli ring that trafficked in human eggs and human stem cells. Professor's sister: We're in shock

Two Israeli physicians, Professor Nathan Levitt and Dr. Genya Ziskind, were arrested in Romania for their alleged involvement in the human egg-trafficking case, Israeli consul to Bucharest Lili Ben-Harush confirmed Tuesday.

 

"We don’t know what the reason for their arrest is," the consul told Ynet. "An hour before they were apprehended I spoke with Dr. Ziskind. She said they had been interrogated and asked to meet with me.

 

Later I was informed that they were arrested. When I tried to contact them, phone service was unavailable."

 

Ben-Harush said the consulate was following the developments and "helping out wherever we can."

 

"We are talking about Israeli citizens in a foreign country, but we are not interfering in issues related to the investigation and allowing the Romanian authorities to do their job," she said. "We'll have more information regarding the arrests (on Wednesday)."

 

Miki, Professor Levitt's sister, told Ynet "the family is shocked by the arrest, just like everyone else."

 

Last week some 30 Israelis were detained in a fertility clinic in Bucharest for allegedly trafficking in human eggs and human stem cells. The Bucharest court ordered Harry and Yair Miron, the father and son team who own and operate the clinic, remain in police custody for an additional month.

 

Professor Levitt and Dr. Ziskind, who work at the clinic, were also detained by the local authorities, and ordered not to leave Romania pending further investigation. At this point the Romanian Tax Authority is not charging the two with tax evasion, but officials did say that investigators were looking into the "monetary aspect" of the case.

 

On Monday The Bucharest Appellate Court rejected Harry and Yair Miron's appeal on their continued arrest. Harry Miron's attorney told the court that his client's wife was unable to conceive a child naturally, and that their private experience prompted him to specialize in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and start the clinic. The couple eventually adopted their son Yair, who was also arrested. According to the defense, Yair Miron's biological parents were killed in a "military conflict."

 

A Romanian daily reported last week that the Sabyc fertility clinic was home to at least 2,000 artificial inseminations each priced between €8,000-10,000.

 

The Gardianul's report said the Bucharest-based clinic's earnings were estimated at around €20 million altogether. 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.28.09, 22:05
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