Ghith Salim (a pseudonym to protect his identity), a young Jordanian man in his early twenties, never imagined that his body could become a means of survival amid financial hardship. Working tirelessly at a car wash to support his struggling family, he dreamed, like many of his peers, of independence and a job that could lift him out of need.

But his imagined path took a dark turn when his father pressured him to travel abroad and sell a kidney for 13,000 Jordanian dinars, with his brothers helping expedite his passport. In Turkey, where the operation was initially scheduled, his father’s partners awaited him, having coordinated every detail in advance. 

Ghith was prepped for the procedure, even coached on what to tell the medical committee to appear as a willing donor. The shock came when he heard a voice recording sent by his father to the brokers, instructing them to take both his kidneys and any other viable organs for money. In response, Ghith changed his testimony before the committee, leading to the cancellation of the operation.

However, his father’s greed persisted. With his partners, he arranged for the sale to proceed in India, where the process was less regulated, this time for 25,000 dinars. While Ghith accompanied the Omani recipient back to Jordan en route to India, they were intercepted at the airport by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. After prolonged questioning, during which Ghith initially tried to hide the truth, he finally revealed what had happened and filed a complaint against his father and accomplices, according to Case File No. 75/2023.

This story is just one example of the growing phenomenon of human organ trafficking in Jordan, fueled by economic crises and cross-border broker networks.

Why Are Jordanians Selling Their Children’s Organs?

Statistics from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department, published in the “Under the Microscope 2” study by Tamkeen Legal Aid and Human Rights Organization, show a sharp increase in organ trafficking cases in 2022–2023. The issue ranks second among human trafficking crimes, with a total of 36 cases.

In 2023, 18 cases involved 20 victims (17 males, 3 females) and 47 male perpetrators. In 2022, 10 cases involved 12 male victims and 29 male perpetrators, while 2021 saw seven cases affecting six males and one female, with 12 offenders (11 male, 1 female). In 2020, there was a single case with one victim and four male perpetrators.

These figures reflect a broader social and economic context. The “Under the Microscope 2” study highlights rising poverty and unemployment, combined with limited legal awareness, as key drivers of this exploitative pattern. According to the 2024 Jordan Department of Statistics, poverty affects 15% of the population, while unemployment stands at 21.4%, with notable disparities between genders and education levels: 18.2% for men, 34.7% for women, 25.8% among university graduates, and 37.9% among those without a high school diploma.

Abdullah Al-Nasser, a social researcher and founder of the Integration Center for Post-Prison Care, cites the 2024 criminal statistics report by Jordan’s Criminal Information Directorate, which records 23,982 crimes that year, a 5.26% increase from 2023. Crimes are concentrated in Amman, followed by Irbid and Zarqa, with theft accounting for 30% of cases, followed by fraud and breach of trust. Al-Nasser notes that those aged 18–30, mostly unemployed, are the most involved, highlighting the direct link between economic hardship and rising criminal behavior.

He warns that some families are crossing a dangerous threshold, turning from financial desperation to exploiting the human body itself. Young people, under extreme pressure, may seek any source of income, legal or not. The tragedy peaks when a child sells an organ under parental pressure, reversing the traditional protective role of the father. Al-Nasser calls this “a troubling sign of a values system shaken by poverty and despair.”

The causes are not solely economic. Poverty and unemployment are significant, but they intersect with other factors, such as bad influences or family breakdowns. Those under severe social and financial pressure are most vulnerable to deviance, especially in what Al-Nasser describes as “the difficult circumstances Jordanian society faces today.”

Organ Sale Deals

Organ sales rarely begin in hospitals; they often start online. As labor and human trafficking lawyer Asma Ameera, from Tamkeen Legal Aid and Human Rights, explains, social media—especially Facebook—is the most common platform for brokers seeking sellers willing to trade organs for money. The operations are usually arranged in countries like Turkey, which allows organ donation without familial restrictions, unlike Jordan, where organ transplantation is strictly regulated under the 1977 Human Body Organs Use Law, prohibiting trafficking and illegal organ removal.

According to the investigation for this report, ads often target the poor with phrases like “Organs for Sale for Cash.” Brokers present themselves as friendly, promising quick wealth and assuring the victim that travel and medical expenses will be covered. These promises frequently turn into traps: victims may undergo painful surgery, lose organs, and receive little or no compensation.

Globally, kidneys are the most trafficked organs. The UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2020, 2022) highlights Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh as major hubs, where illegal “medical tourism” thrives. The Philippines has also been identified as a hotspot. Turkey has faced scrutiny for exploiting refugees, and China has repeatedly been accused of forced organ harvesting from prisoners, making the global map of this crime increasingly complex.

Penalties for Human Trafficking

Ameera emphasizes that selling a child’s organ is an aggravating circumstance under Article 9 of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law, punishable by a minimum of seven years’ hard labor and fines from 5,000 to 20,000 dinars, especially when the perpetrator is a close relative or guardian. Victims are first interviewed and referred to the prosecutor to confirm their classification. They are then referred to Dar Al-Karama, a specialized center under the Ministry of Social Development, which provides shelter, food, clothing, psychological support, and legal assistance until a final court decision is issued.

Dar Al-Karama also raises awareness of the psychological, health, and financial consequences of organ removal and highlights the dangers of the crime. Ameera notes that the phenomenon has worsened over the years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, due to economic hardships. While many cases have been documented, there may be more that remain undiscovered.

This report was produced under the project “Enhancing Migrant Workers’ Rights and Combating Human Trafficking,” implemented by the King Hussein Foundation’s Information and Research Center in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation – Palestine and Jordan Office. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.