Libyan Trial of Health Workers Accused of Infecting Children With HIV Folds for Lack of Evidence, Case Returns to State Prosecutors
The trial of six Bulgarian health workers and one Palestinian doctor who are accused of deliberately infecting Libyan children with HIV folded on Sunday and was sent back to state prosecutors after the court found a lack of evidence supporting the claim that the health workers had undermined state security, Agence France-Presse reports. The seven health care workers are accused of deliberately injecting 393 children at a Libyan pediatric hospital with blood products infected with HIV (Agence France-Presse, 2/17). Prosecutors said that the plotted infections were "part of a conspiracy of foreign intelligence forces aimed at undermining the security of Libya and its role in the Arab world" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/19/01). Bulgarian officials "welcomed" the court's decision, noting that it is a sign that the defendants will not receive the death penalty. Defense attorney Othman al-Bizanti said that a new trial for the health workers will begin in one or two months, although it is not clear what charges they will face in the upcoming case (Agence France-Presse, 2/17).
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