The case resumed on 9th January 2012. This was a one hour session where the Public Prosecution denied that they were waiving the confessions extracted by torture (which they had previously stated to media that they would). The Public Prosecution also appeared confused over the number of medics that had been tortured – suggesting first 8, then 7, and then 6, when in actual fact the medics have been clear that they were all subject to torture.
The next hearing is now set for 19th March.
- All charges should be dropped.
- The latest Public Prosecutor statement needs clarifying as it is very vague and unclear with differences between the Arabic and English version of the official statement.
- If the government insists on a re-trial, it should be observed by the United Nations to ensure its conforms to standards of a fair trial.
- All violations of humans rights, kidnapping and mistreatment especially torture need to be investigated as do those who were directly involved.
- The medics should be reinstated to their jobs and fairly compensated.
Statements Regarding Appeal
- On 5th October the Bahraini Public Prosecutor released this press release to the International press stating that the medics were to receive a retrial before civilian court:
051011.New Trials Ordered for Medical Staff.Press Release - On 16th October the medics released this press release, expressing their concern that they have not actually been granted a retrial, rather only an appeal, which is to be heard on 23rd October:
Medics Press Release In Response to Public Prosecutor Statement - This is a fact sheet handed out by the Public Prosecution in court on 23rd October regarding the proceedings:
Public Prosecution statment on 23 Oct 2011 distributed in Appeal Court - This is the response from the medics’ lawyers, released on 24th Oct:
Arabic & English Medics’ Lawyers statment in reply to PP statement on 23 October 2011
The Charges
The total list of charges appears to be as follows:
- the possession of unlicensed weapons and ammunition;
- the attempt of forcefully occupying a public building (Salmaniya Hospital);
- promotion to bring down and change the regime by illegal means;
- the confiscation of medical equipment;
- spreading false news about the wounded;
- inciting hatred against the governing regime;
- promoting sectarian hate;
- disrupting the implementation of laws;
- participating and supporting unlicensed protests and rallies;
- refraining from carrying out employment duties, in aim of hindering medical work and consequently endangering people’s health and lives;
- not informing the authorities of felonies;
- inciting employees to non implementation of laws;
- detention (of policeman) by force;
- destroying equipment belonging to the hospital.
Note that not all of the doctors were charged with all the above. The table below shows who was charged with what exactly. Note also that this table has yet to be verified with all of the people listed – if you are one of the medics on trial or one of the lawyers and you notice an error in this table please let us know via our contact form.
Table of Charges
Read personal testimonies from the doctors here regarding what happened to them.
