Trial resumes for Bahraini doctors

Trial resumes for Bahrainidoctors The trial resumed Monday of dozens ofBahraini doctors and nurses accused ofworking to undermine the Arab country'sgovernment during mass protests earlier thisyear, with seven additional witnesses takingthe stand.Prosecutors claim the accused took over theSalmaniya Medical Complex in Manama,stored and funneled weapons to protestersand effectively kept people prisoner.But the medical staff members, their lawyersand international human rights activists havesaid that the defendants were tortured toextract confessions. According to reports fromPhysicians for Human Rights, Human RightsWatch and Doctors Without Borders, witnessessaid security forces stormed the capital city'smain hospital where they fired tear gas andother chemical agents and beat doctors anddemonstrators. Bahraini officials have deniedsuch allegations.The testimony Monday focused on whathappened in and around the hospital -- "bothon an administrative and security level" -- atthe height of the unrest, according to a reportfrom the state-run Bahrain News Agency, orBNA. The judge also heard about the medicalcomplex's emergency procedures, as well asinformation on the whereabouts betweenFebruary 14 and March 17 of some of thosecharged.According to the BNA report, one personquestioned claimed that a hospital staffmember gave out bags of blood to other staffmembers, so they could be given to protestersto splash on themselves.One witness claimed that Dr. Ali Al Ekricoordinated the distribution of knives toprotesters by ambulance, thus evading securitypersonnel. The witness testified five meetingsdevoted to aiding demonstrators were held inthe surgeon's clinic, where prosecutors havesaid that two automatic rifles, ammunition andhospital knives were found. Trial resumes for Bahrainidoctors