Medics jailed for treating Bahrain protesters win fight for retrials

A group of Bahraini medical staff who were handed lengthy jail terms for their alleged support of pro-democracy protests in the country have had their sentences overturned.

Appearing to buckle under international pressure, Bahrain's attorney general ordered re-trials in a civilian court for the 20 doctors, nurses and paramedics who treated injured protesters during demonstrations against the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa dynasty.

Ali al-Boainain, the attorney general, said in a statement that "the accused will have the benefit of full re-evaluation of evidence and full opportunity to present their defences."

The medics were sentenced in a quasi-military court to terms ranging from five to 15 years for alleged offences including the possession of weapons, stealing medical equipment, and "fabricating stories to disturb public security." They protested their innocence, saying they were tortured during interrogation to extract false confessions.

Their sentencing provoked outrage from human rights organisations, medical associations and the United Nations, which called for the convictions to be overturned.

Roula al-Saffar, who had been sentenced to 15 years in prison, told The Independent that the ruling represented a "new start" and called on the authorities to review the cases of other medical professionals who had been convicted of similar charges.

"I am shocked, but at the same time I am very happy. It is a new start for us," said Dr Saffar, the head of the Bahrain nursing union. "I hope that they will hear us out this time. Last time we were not heard. The military court screamed at us. Our confessions were forced out of us and we were forced to sign in handcuffs."

A government spokesman, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, said of the decision yesterday: "We've always said that all cases that have been tried in the National Safety Court will be transferred to the civilian court for review, and all sentenced people will have the right to appeal where a full review will be considered in regards to evidence procedures."

Bahrain's ruling Muslim Sunni monarchy has waged sweeping crackdowns against mostly Muslim Shiite protesters calling for greater rights.

The doctors and nurses worked at the state-run Salmaniya Medical Centre close to the capital's Pearl Square, which became the epicentre of Bahrain's uprising, inspired by other revolts across the Arab world.

The authorities saw the hospital's mostly Shiite staff as protest sympathisers, although the medics claimed they treated all who needed care.

Dr Fatima Haji, who had been sentenced to five years, expressed reserved optimism yesterday. "This is what we wanted, a fair trial," she told The Independent. "I hope that this time, they will allow us to present our evidence, look at allegations of torture and drop confessions made under torture. This is what we are hoping, but we are not sure this will happen yet."

Richard Sollom, the deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights, yesterday called on the Bahrain government to address the allegations of torture made by the doctors.

"While we applaud the decision, we are still troubled by the allegations of torture of medics while in detention," he said. "Any future trials must determine whether they were tortured. It is our contention, having done research in the country, that they present credible allegations."

It's unclear whether the decision by Bahrain's attorney general will bring retrials for other verdicts made by the security court or halt other cases that are pending. Among them is another group of more than 25 doctors and nurses charged with protest-related offences.

Earlier yesterday, the security court sentenced 19 people, including a16-year-old Iraqi football player, for causing violence during the protests.

The court sentenced 13 people to five years in prison, and six people to one year terms for alleged attacks during the unrest, including trying to set fire to a police station, the Information Affairs Authority said in a statement.

The detention of the Iraqi teenager, Zulfiqar Naji, sparked angry demonstrations in Iraq and as far away as Canada by people calling for his release. It also prompted the Iraqi government to make a plea to Bahrain on his behalf. Naji played for a local football club in Bahrain until his arrest.