http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=325403
A SENIOR doctor at Bahrain's biggest hospital allegedly forced Asian patients to say on film they were paid by the government to attack anti-government protesters.
The explosive evidence emerged yesterday during an appeal hearing of 20 Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) medics convicted of carrying out serious offences during the unrest.
"Dr Saeed Al Samaheeji and a religious cleric blackmailed the patients and took their belongings, threatened them, filmed them and forced them to say they were paid BD20 from the government to attack protesters," said an emergency doctor who took to the stand during the marathon six-hour hearing.
"I told them to stop treating the patients in that manner because it was inhuman or illegal, however, they threatened me and the religious cleric wrapped a bed curtain around my neck and pushed me away."
The prosecution witness also told the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court protesters tried to storm a room containing 17 Asian patients to attack them.
"Protesters tried to storm a resuscitation room containing 17 Asians who were brought to the SMC on March 13 after they were attacked by protesters with swords and knives in Manama," said the Indian.
"I wanted to transfer them to BDF Hospital because we were afraid they would be killed.
"Their hands were tied up.
"Dr Saeed Al Samaheeji and a religious cleric told me these patients will not leave the hospital."
The witness said he called his superiors, who managed to sneak the patients out the back of the SMC at midnight and transfer them to the BDF Hospital.
He claimed nurses had also spat at Asian patients.
"We had to cover them up, to transfer them to another room so protesters wouldn't find out about their nationality, where security officials could keep protesters from reaching them," said the witness.
The doctor said he called his superiors, who managed to sneak the patients out the back of the SMC at midnight and transfer them to the BDF.
Another witness, the head of SMC's medical services management, said Dr Ghassan Dhaif refused to let a policeman be transferred to the BDF Hospital for further treatment.
"I told Dr Dhaif this officer had suffered a major head injury and needed to be taken to the BDF Hospital, but he refused to let the patient leave the room," he said.
The Bahraini said he helped two Bahrain University students, one from Yemen and the other from Syria, escape from the hospital.
"Dr Dhaif told a Pakistani patient to leave the SMC and find treatment somewhere else and called him a mercenary," he said.
"A Pakistani patient was also slapped by a security guard as he was sent to get treatment."
However, he said one of the medics on trial, Dr Ali Al Ekri, was assigned as a mediator between medical staff and protesters and tried his best to defuse the tension.
Five prosecution witnesses gave evidence during the hearing, all of who said they did not see the medics carrying weapons.
However, the Indian doctor said protesters outside the hospital were armed with swords and knives.
Lawyers, journalists and diplomats, including US Embassy deputy chief of mission Stephanie Williams, attended the hearing amid tight security.
The trial was adjourned to March 15 for medical examiners to be summoned to court.
The medics are appealing against convictions for illegally occupying the SMC during last year's unrest and possessing weapons by the National Safety Court.
They were also found guilty of hiding injured policemen, not treating patients from a certain sect, taking part in an illegal gathering, inciting hatred against the regime and reporting falsified news.
Prosecutors earlier brought two Kalashnikovs, 168 bullets, three Molotov cocktails, four ammunition cartridges and other weapons allegedly confiscated by police from the SMC during unrest.
Chains used in religious rituals, screwdrivers, a sword, daggers and a scythe were also previously submitted as evidence.
Several charges against the medics were earlier dropped including inciting hatred against the regime and reporting falsified news, as well as taking part in illegal gatherings and not carrying out their professional duties properly.
A SENIOR doctor at Bahrain's biggest hospital allegedly forced Asian patients to say on film they were paid by the government to attack anti-government protesters.
The explosive evidence emerged yesterday during an appeal hearing of 20 Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) medics convicted of carrying out serious offences during the unrest.
"Dr Saeed Al Samaheeji and a religious cleric blackmailed the patients and took their belongings, threatened them, filmed them and forced them to say they were paid BD20 from the government to attack protesters," said an emergency doctor who took to the stand during the marathon six-hour hearing.
"I told them to stop treating the patients in that manner because it was inhuman or illegal, however, they threatened me and the religious cleric wrapped a bed curtain around my neck and pushed me away."
The prosecution witness also told the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court protesters tried to storm a room containing 17 Asian patients to attack them.
"Protesters tried to storm a resuscitation room containing 17 Asians who were brought to the SMC on March 13 after they were attacked by protesters with swords and knives in Manama," said the Indian.
"I wanted to transfer them to BDF Hospital because we were afraid they would be killed.
"Their hands were tied up.
"Dr Saeed Al Samaheeji and a religious cleric told me these patients will not leave the hospital."
The witness said he called his superiors, who managed to sneak the patients out the back of the SMC at midnight and transfer them to the BDF Hospital.
He claimed nurses had also spat at Asian patients.
"We had to cover them up, to transfer them to another room so protesters wouldn't find out about their nationality, where security officials could keep protesters from reaching them," said the witness.
The doctor said he called his superiors, who managed to sneak the patients out the back of the SMC at midnight and transfer them to the BDF.
Another witness, the head of SMC's medical services management, said Dr Ghassan Dhaif refused to let a policeman be transferred to the BDF Hospital for further treatment.
"I told Dr Dhaif this officer had suffered a major head injury and needed to be taken to the BDF Hospital, but he refused to let the patient leave the room," he said.
The Bahraini said he helped two Bahrain University students, one from Yemen and the other from Syria, escape from the hospital.
"Dr Dhaif told a Pakistani patient to leave the SMC and find treatment somewhere else and called him a mercenary," he said.
"A Pakistani patient was also slapped by a security guard as he was sent to get treatment."
However, he said one of the medics on trial, Dr Ali Al Ekri, was assigned as a mediator between medical staff and protesters and tried his best to defuse the tension.
Five prosecution witnesses gave evidence during the hearing, all of who said they did not see the medics carrying weapons.
However, the Indian doctor said protesters outside the hospital were armed with swords and knives.
Lawyers, journalists and diplomats, including US Embassy deputy chief of mission Stephanie Williams, attended the hearing amid tight security.
The trial was adjourned to March 15 for medical examiners to be summoned to court.
The medics are appealing against convictions for illegally occupying the SMC during last year's unrest and possessing weapons by the National Safety Court.
They were also found guilty of hiding injured policemen, not treating patients from a certain sect, taking part in an illegal gathering, inciting hatred against the regime and reporting falsified news.
Prosecutors earlier brought two Kalashnikovs, 168 bullets, three Molotov cocktails, four ammunition cartridges and other weapons allegedly confiscated by police from the SMC during unrest.
Chains used in religious rituals, screwdrivers, a sword, daggers and a scythe were also previously submitted as evidence.
Several charges against the medics were earlier dropped including inciting hatred against the regime and reporting falsified news, as well as taking part in illegal gatherings and not carrying out their professional duties properly.