Bahrain Medics Still in Prison

By Brian Dooley

Four years ago today, consultant Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Ali Alekri was arrested by Bahraini soldiers. Dr. Alekri was in the operating room, operating on a child, when they came for him. He was the first of over 70 medical professionals detained after treating injured protestors, and telling international media about the wounds civilians sustained during a government crackdown following largescale protests for democracy in Bahrain.

Dr. Alekri was tried with 19 other medics in a military court. He told Human Rights First he was tortured into confessing to crimes he hadn’t committed. So did many of those tried with him.

Human Rights First attended his appeal in a civilian court, where the judge refused to consider evidence of his torture. Nine medics in the trial were eventually acquitted. Others have served their sentences, but Dr. Alekri and nurse Ibrahim Demastani remain in prison.

Learn more about what happened here.