Sir, – A total of 20 doctors, nurses and paramedics have been sentenced in a military court in Bahrain for terms ranging from five to 15 years (World News, September 30th). Many have been tortured. All have been fired. They fulfilled their moral and ethical obligations to treat patients. Doctors and nurses are no longer respected in Bahrain. Human life and human rights are no longer respected in Bahrain.
The explanations and excuses from the Bahraini authorities, their lobbyists and minions are transparent. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The Bahrain regime’s principal response to the international outcry against its suppression of popular dissent and the summary “justice” meted out to those deemed responsible has been the establishment of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. The role of the commission, according to its own website, is “to determine whether the events of February and March 2011 (and thereafter) involved violations of international human rights law and norms”.
Given that this investigation is yet to be completed, it seems all the more remarkable that, in a situation where the Bahraini government seems to accept an investigation is required into the facts, context and circumstances of the ongoing unrest in the country, it was sufficiently certain of itself to fast-track through military courts the conviction and sentencing of 20 clinicians on evidence that may yet be wholly discredited by the independent commission.
That criticism is further augmented by the fact that the Bahraini regime reneged on a promise to try the doctors in the civil courts and instead prosecuted their cases in the military courts, where many essential features of fair procedures are curtailed or absent. Irish citizens should be outraged that the graduates of its universities are being treated in this appalling and peremptory fashion by a regime that transparently lacks any sense of fair judicial process or proportion. – Yours, etc,