EP condemns Libyan death sentence against medics
Libya-European Union, Politics, 1/20/2007

The European Parliament condemned Thursday the verdict of a Libyan court which sentenced to death five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor and called on the European Union to take action with the Libyan Government to secure an early release of the imprisoned medics.

The House adopted a joint resolution with 567 votes in favor calling on Libyan leader Muammar al-Gathafi to exercise his powers and bring about the release of the imprisoned medics as a matter of urgency.

The resolution calls on the EU to "reconsider in the absence of a positive resolution of the case, a revision of the common policy of engagement with Libya in all relevant fields, as the Union deems appropriate." On 9 February 1999 the Libyan authorities detained the six medics working at the Al-Fatih' hospital in Benghazi on charges of deliberately infecting several hundred children with the HIV virus and later a court sentenced them to death.

In a retrial last December a Criminal Court in Libya upheld the death sentence.

The EP underlined that, as of January 2007 when Bulgaria joined the EU, the Libyan trial directly concerns five citizens of the European Union.

Previous Stories:
  Annan 'deeply concerned' at Libyan death sentences for foreign health workers   (12/23/2006)
  Bulgaria rejects compensating Libyan AIDS visctims   (1/23/2006)
  Libyan AIDS victims families upset with latest development   (12/27/2005)
  Europe cooperates with Libya to limit illegal migration   (6/4/2005)

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