RCN welcomes the release of five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor from a Libyan prison
Published: 24 August 2007
General Secretary of the RoyalCollege Nursing, Dr Peter Carter, said:
“The RCN is extremely pleased and relieved by the news that five Bulgarian nurses and a doctor have been released from prison in Libya after eight long years of incarceration there. The RCN also welcomes the news that the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has given them an immediate pardon on their arrival in the country.
“The nurses and doctor were convicted of deliberately infecting children with HIV. All have maintained their innocence throughout their ordeal. Indeed subsequent evidence has shown the children were infected with the virus before the nurses and doctor arrived at the hospital.
“The RCN would like to acknowledge the part played by the international nursing community, particularly the International Council of Nurses, who worked tirelessly to keep this case in the public eye. The RCN would also like to thank all of its members who took part in the campaign to secure their release.”
Notes to Editors
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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.