BULGARIA/LIBYA: LIBYAN COURT SENTENCES SIX BULGARIAN MEDICS AND A PALESTINIAN DOCTOR TO DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD
Record ID:
648403
BULGARIA/LIBYA: LIBYAN COURT SENTENCES SIX BULGARIAN MEDICS AND A PALESTINIAN DOCTOR TO DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD
- Title: BULGARIA/LIBYA: LIBYAN COURT SENTENCES SIX BULGARIAN MEDICS AND A PALESTINIAN DOCTOR TO DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD
- Date: 6th May 2004
- Summary: BENGHAZI, LIBYA (MAY 6, 2004) (LIBYA TV - NO ACCESS LIBYA) 1. SV JUDGE GREETING COURT 0.04 2. SLV PRISONERS IN COURT 0.11 3. MCU (Arabic) JUDGE READING VERDICT "(NAMES OF THE CONVICTED) To be killed by a firing squad for spreading the infection." 0.32 SOFIA, BULGARIA (MAY 6, 2004) (REUTERS) 4. SLV PRESIDENTIAL BUILDING 0.37 5. SV (Bulgarian) GEORGI PARVANOV, PRESIDENT OF BULGARIA, SAYING " I cannot take as proven, the guilt of the Bulgarian citizens, having in mind the materials and facts from the process to our knowledge, as well as the firm statements from a leading specialist. 1.12 6. SLV JUSTICE MINISTRY BUILDING 1.16 7. MCU (Bulgarian) ANTON STANKOV, MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF BULGARIA, SAYING "The first thing to do is to analyse the verdict, then once we have seen the reaction of our allies we will plan our moves." 1.49 8. MCU (Bulgarian) RESIDENT OF SOFIA, DIMCHO SAVOV, SAYING "I do not believe that a Bulgarian could do such a thing." 1.58 9. MCU (Bulgarian) RESIDENT OF SOFIA ,OBRINK VITANOVA, SAYING "I was shocked when I heard the news, I felt such a pity for these people. I think this verdict is not fair." 2.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SOFIA, BULGARIA/BENGHAZI, LIBYA
- City:
- Country: Bulgaria Libya
- Reuters ID: LVADH4FWQ6560EWSST1R06HMFQDO
- Story Text: Libyan court sentences six Bulgarian medics and a
Palestinian doctor to death by firing squad.
A Libyan court has sentenced six Bulgarian medics
and a Palestinian doctor to death by firing squad on
Thursday (May 6, 2004), for deliberately infecting hundreds of
Libyan children with the deadly HIV virus.
Bulgaria condemned the "unfair and absurd" verdicts
and called for a strong reaction from its Western partners
the European Union, NATO and the United States.
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said he did not
believe the verdict was just.
" I cannot take as proven, the guilt of the Bulgarian
citizens, having in mind the materials and facts from the
process to our knowledge, as well as the firm statements
from leading specialist." Parvanov said.
The health workers, detained in early 1999, were
convicted of infecting 426 Libyan children at a Benghazi
hospital with blood products contaminated with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Bulgarians had expected some leniency after Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi's recent efforts to renew ties with
the West.
"I'm shocked by the verdicts. The government's official
position is that we're not going to accept them. Such
verdicts
are unfair and without grounds," Bulgarian Justice Minister
Anton Stankov said in Sofia.
More than 40 of the children have died since 1999,
adding to already heated emotions in both countries over
the case.
The issue gained greater attention in recent weeks as
Libya emerged from international isolation after scrapping
its nuclear
and chemical arms programme in December. The dispute with EU
candid ate Bulgaria was raised
during Gaddafi's ground-breaking visit to the EU last week.
European Commission President Romano Prodi said then he
hoped a "quick and fair settlement" could be found.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None