Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 14, 2006 12:17:46 GMT -5
BULGARIA/LIBYA:
Bulgarian official says Libya likely to impose death sentences in AIDS
trial
A senior Bulgarian official said Thursday that Libya would likely convict
5 Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of purposely infecting
children with HIV.
Feim Chaushev, the deputy foreign minister who handles the case, said in
his opinion "the death sentences would likely be confirmed," but warned
Bulgaria would not accept such an outcome. "This will be unacceptable and
will trigger a negative international reaction," he said.
Chaushev, however, said a possible conviction would not decide the nurses'
fate. "I don't think the court will acquit them now, but afterward we will
see there are other levers and mechanisms to solve this problem," he told
reporters.
Libyan prosecutors have demanded death sentences for the five nurses and
the doctor on charges they infected more than 400 children with HIV, the
AIDS virus, at a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi. At least 50 of
the children have died.
The 6 medics were convicted on the same charges in 2004 and sentenced to
death. Libya's Supreme Court last year overturned the convictions and
ordered a retrial, which opened in May.
The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21, and Chaushev said this would
likely be the last hearing before the court announces its verdict.
Human rights groups and Bulgaria have accused Libya of concocting the
charges to cover up unhygienic practices in its hospitals, and of
extracting confessions by torture.
Europe and the U.S. repeatedly have urged Libya to swiftly release the
Bulgarians, indicating that the case was blocking Libya's efforts to mend
relations with the EU and Washington.
(source: Associated Press)
Bulgarian official says Libya likely to impose death sentences in AIDS
trial
A senior Bulgarian official said Thursday that Libya would likely convict
5 Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of purposely infecting
children with HIV.
Feim Chaushev, the deputy foreign minister who handles the case, said in
his opinion "the death sentences would likely be confirmed," but warned
Bulgaria would not accept such an outcome. "This will be unacceptable and
will trigger a negative international reaction," he said.
Chaushev, however, said a possible conviction would not decide the nurses'
fate. "I don't think the court will acquit them now, but afterward we will
see there are other levers and mechanisms to solve this problem," he told
reporters.
Libyan prosecutors have demanded death sentences for the five nurses and
the doctor on charges they infected more than 400 children with HIV, the
AIDS virus, at a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi. At least 50 of
the children have died.
The 6 medics were convicted on the same charges in 2004 and sentenced to
death. Libya's Supreme Court last year overturned the convictions and
ordered a retrial, which opened in May.
The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21, and Chaushev said this would
likely be the last hearing before the court announces its verdict.
Human rights groups and Bulgaria have accused Libya of concocting the
charges to cover up unhygienic practices in its hospitals, and of
extracting confessions by torture.
Europe and the U.S. repeatedly have urged Libya to swiftly release the
Bulgarians, indicating that the case was blocking Libya's efforts to mend
relations with the EU and Washington.
(source: Associated Press)