Bahrain caves and orders retrial of medics jailed after treating protesters
Bahrain has ordered the retrial of 20 doctors and nurses whose convictions for allegedly backing pro-democracy protests provoked an international outcry.
8:52PM BST 05 Oct 2011
A statement by the kingdom's attorney general Ali al-Boainain on Wednesday appeared to nullify the sentences of five to 15 years issued last week by a special security court. Sending them for trial in a civilian court, it said: "No doctors or other medical personnel may be punished by reason of the fulfilment of their humanitarian duties or their political views."
The move raises the possibility that the medics will be spared any jail time. They had been found guilty of "inciting hatred for the regime" and hoarding weapons at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama as they treated those injured in demonstrations in March as the Arab spring swept the region.
"The accused will have the benefit of full re-evaluation of evidence and full opportunity to present their defences," said the attorney general's statement.
"The department of public prosecution seeks to establish the truth and to enforce the law, while protecting the rights of the accused."
Despite this seeming concession to international opinion, the same National Safety Court yesterday jailed 19 people for their alleged role in Shia-led protests against the ruling Sunni monarchy.
It sentenced 13 people to five years in prison and six people to one year, for incidents that included an attempted attack on a police station.
Among those convicted was Zulfiqar Naji, a 16-year-old professional footballer from Iraq, whose arrest had sparked angry demonstrations in his home country and a plea from Baghdad for his release.
At least six players for Bahrain's national team were detained, with reports that some were beaten and tortured, during months of political turmoil. One was sentenced to two years in prison.
Shiite Muslims represent about 70 percent of Bahrain's 525,000 population, but claim they face widespread discrimination from high-level political and military posts. Protesters demanded the 200-year-old dynasty allow a freely elected government.
At least 30 people were killed, hundreds wounded and more than 1,000 detained during or after the unrest.
