13 women convicted in Cambodia of acting as pregnancy surrogates for foreigners

Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Thirteen women from the Philippines have been convicted on human trafficking-related charges for acting as surrogates in Cambodia for a ring selling babies to foreigners for cash. They were each sentenced Monday to four years in prison after being found guilty of selling, buying or exchanging a person for cross-border transfer. The women are being held at a police hospital, and authorities have previously said they would not have to serve prison time until after giving birth. A court spokesperson refused to say how many of the women were still pregnant or what would happen to the babies after they are born.