Bahrain tortures medics into confession

The Bahraini regime has tortured dozens of health workers into signing false confessions. (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/183567.html

The Manama regime has tortured dozens of health workers into signing false confessions as they were put on trial over giving medical treatment to injured anti-government protesters in Bahrain.

The medics have communicated to their families that they were subjected to physical, psychological and verbal abuse by the Saudi-backed Bahraini interrogators while in custody, a Press TV news source reports.

On Monday, some 24 doctors along with 23 nurses and paramedics were charged with crimes that included participation in efforts to overthrow Bahrain's monarchy, taking part in illegal rallies and refusing to help persons in need.

Accusations by Bahraini rulers against medical workers also include lying and exaggerating on satellite channels with the aim of tarnishing the international image of the country.

Bahraini doctors have repeatedly said that they had a human obligation to treat everyone, rejecting official claims that helping anti-regime protesters was akin to supporting their cause.

The accused have been in detention since March, when the country declared martial law as part of a brutal campaign to suppress anti-government protests.

Several rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have severely criticized the Persian Gulf sheikhdom for its brutal crackdown on civilians, doctors, nurses, lawyers and journalists that have voiced support for the protest movement.

Since mid-February, peaceful protesters in Bahrain have been demanding an end to the longtime despotic rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty.

On March 14, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed troops to the Persian Gulf country at Manama's request to help crush the nationwide protests.

According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and hundreds arrested and tortured so far during the brutal crackdown on protesters by Saudi and Bahraini forces.