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Rights Group Slams Bahrain for Â«SystematicÂ» Attacks on Medical Personnel

22 April 2011 23:45 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. A U.S.-based rights group says Bahraini authorities have carried out â€œsystematicâ€ attacks on medical professionals who treated injured anti-government protesters during months of civil unrest in the country, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

Physicians for Human Rights released a report Friday, saying it has â€œforensic evidence of attacks on physicians, medical staff, patients and unarmed civilians.â€ The report describes the use of weapons, beatings and tear gas.

The group’s Washington director says the excessive use of force the group documented is â€œextremely troubling,â€ calling it â€œcause for an immediate international investigation.â€

Physicians for Human Rights released a list of more than 30 health care professionals it says have been detained or gone missing during the government crackdown on demonstrations.

The protests in Bahrain have been led by the country’s Shi’ite majority, which has been demanding a greater stake in the country’s Sunni-led government.

Bahraini officials have said 24 people have been killed in the demonstrations, which began on February 14.

Earlier this month, humanitarian aid group Doctors Without Borders called Bahrain’s hospitals â€œplaces to be fearedâ€ and said health facilities were being used as â€œbaitâ€ to identify and arrest protesters seeking treatment.

Bahrain’s official news agency quoted a government spokesman as saying the allegations by Doctors Without Borders seem to be part of an â€œongoing, orchestratedâ€ campaign by the opposition protest movement.

The military took over the Salmaniya medical complex in the capital Manama last month.