ICN is relieved to announce that nine Bahraini health professionals, including Rula al-Saffar, President of the Bahrain Nursing Society, today saw their convictions overturned.  We remain concerned over the future of the nine health professionals who were convicted, but whose sentences were reduced. 

The health professionals were arrested in March and April of 2011 during anti-government protests. Having originally received prison sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years at a military court, the health workers sentences were overturned in October 2011 and a civilian trial was held in its place.  ICN has repeatedly called for their immediate and unconditional release.

"Doctors and nurses have a moral and ethical duty to treat everyone that comes into the hospital irrespective of their political affiliation, their religion, or their ethnicity, said David Benton, ICN Chief Executive Officer.  “We emphasize the critical importance of protecting health workers in order that they may exercise their duty to care for all in peace time or during times of conflict.”