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Bahrain restricts International Human Rights Observers at Trial of the Medical Staff in Manama

by Courtesy

Bahrain:International Human Rights Organizations Observed the Trial of the Medical Staff in Manama
2011-11-29 – Gulf Center for Human Rights

Beirut, 29 November, 2011 – A group of international human rights organizations, including the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, attended the trial of Doctors and Medics in Bahrain before the Upper Court of Criminal Appeals, which was held on the morning of Monday, November 26, 2011. Deputy Director of the GCHR Khalid Ibrahim was present on behalf of the Centre at the Hearing.

The defense team for the doctors and medics acted in an efficient way and asked the court lift the travel ban and stop the proceedings pending the decision on complaints of torture made by the medical staff. On the other hand, it was clear that the prosecution lacks argument, logic and proof.

The lawyers of the doctors and medics adopted what Prof. Bassiouni mentioned in his report that the articles on which the National Safety Court were established are unconstitutional and demanded giving them the opportunity to raise the constitutional complaint.

Dr. Nada Dheif talked to the Court that the charges are directed at staff in Salmaniya Medical Centre and that the public prosecutor doesn’t know that she is not working there, and that the only witness against her is the very same person who supervised the torture, and insulted and gave her electric shocks. Also, Dr. Ali Al-Ekri talked to the Court and stated that he was forced by the military prosecutor to confess under torture.

While the Court was under way the Public Prosecutor brought into the hall three boxes from which Kalashnikov assault rifles, ammunition and white weapons, were taken out alleged that they were seized in a Salmaniya Medical Centre. It was noted by international observers those weapons were supposed to be criminal evidences are not kept inside special bags and that the policemen directly have taken them into their own hands and this eliminates their validity to be used as evidence in this case. …more