U.S. Disappointed on Bahrain Medic Decision
The United States said Thursday it was "deeply disappointed" by a court decision in Bahrain that upheld sentences for some medics involved in protests against the U.S.-allied Sunni regime last year.
Bahrain's appeals court acquitted nine medics arrested at a hospital near the protests and reduced the terms of nine others. But State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that charges on all should be dropped.
"We are deeply disappointed," Nuland told reporters. "We believe these convictions do appear, at least in part, to be based on the defendants' criticisms of government actions and policies."
"While the sentences were reduced, we are discouraged that the Bahraini government did not use alternative means to address these cases," Nuland said.
Nuland called for Bahrain to carry out an "expedited review" and to allow the nine convicted medics to stay at home during the appeal.
"We hope that the review will result in a dismissal of the charges," Nuland said.
Bahrain arrested 20 doctors and nurses from Salmaniya Medical complex as security forces cracked down on protests in the capital Manama's nearby Pearl Square. Some of those arrested allege that they were tortured in custody.
The protesters mostly belong to the island's Shiite majority, which has long complained about discrimination.
President Barack Obama's administration has faced criticism from human rights activists and U.S. rivals for its support of Bahrain, which is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet and lies strategically close to Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pointed to U.S. arms sales to Bahrain when fending off criticism by Washington over Moscow's arms deliveries to President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime is accused of massacres as it puts down a more than year-long uprising.
Nuland rejected the comparison. The United States resumed arms sales to Bahrain in May but said it was excluding equipment that could be used for crowd control such as tear gas and stun grenades.
Source: Agence France Presse
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