Bursa grandmother Hanife Stief on trial for alleged kidnapping of child Nazar

In Bursa, a court trial is underway against 60‑year‑old Hanife Stief, the child's grandmother, accused of human trafficking and unlawful confinement of her grandson Nazar S. The boy, born in Germany to Turkish parents, vanished in 2019 at age one and was discovered seven years later in a rundown house in Mustafakemalpaşa. DNA testing confirmed his mother, Rebecca S., and he was returned to her.

During the trial, Stief denied kidnapping, claiming she was caring for Nazar as an "emanet" and even referred to him as "Ahmet" to conceal his identity. She faces up to 12 years in prison for trafficking minors under 18. Stief remains in custody, while other co‑defendants have been barred from leaving the country. A further hearing is scheduled for 22 October 2026. The case has drawn public attention to cross‑border child abduction and human‑trafficking statutes in Turkey.