Call for Justice in Libya

2.11.07pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 30th Mar 2005

London Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat European Justice spokeswoman, has written to Jack Straw to demand firmer EU action against Libya in the case of the five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor who are appealing against their unfair conviction and death sentence in that country.

These staff were sentenced to death by firing squad last May after being found guilty of 'deliberately afflicting' 400 children with the HIV virus whilst working in a hospital in Libya in 1998. But the court relied on confessions from three of them allegedly gained under torture and which were later retracted. Judges ignored medical evidence that the children most probably contracted the virus due to poor hygiene.

Sarah Ludford said:

"It seems clear that these 6 staff, 5 of them from a country due to join the EU shortly, have been scapegoated to cover up tragic negligence by the Libyan authorities."

"I want an assurance from the Foreign Secretary that the UK will demand EU sanctions against Libya through freezing of moves towards a trade and association agreement should the Supreme Court uphold this grossly unfair conviction."

"It is unacceptable that an EU economic partnership should be offered to Libya while such extreme human rights abuses are committed there. And economic benefits for the EU must not cloud judgement on issues of fundamental values and justice".