Only 5 Bahraini medics to be charged

The Bahraini Public Prosecutor in charge of criminal cases involving medics will present evidence against only five accused, charged with the most serious offences relating to last year's unrest. Public Prosecutor Abdul Rahman Al Sayyed said the evidence deals with crimes such as the takeover of Salmaniya Medical Complex during the height of the unrest, detailed in the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report, the Information Affairs Authority said last night. He said charges against the other medics, like breaching patient confidentiality by allowing cameras into the hospital, leading protests inside the hospital and transforming it into a political arena, and discriminating against patients based on their sect, will be considered as violations of the code of medical ethics. Al Sayyed called on the court to transfer such cases to the medical disciplinary board. He added the prosecution had approached the charges objectively and fairly, and presented evidence and prosecuted the cases in a timely manner, the IAA said.