AJC Outraged over Libyan Death Sentence for Bulgarian Nurses
December 19, 2006 - New York - The American Jewish Committee is outraged over the decision of a Libyan court to sentence five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor to death based on allegations that they deliberately infected Libyan children with the AIDS virus.
International experts have found these charges baseless. It is perfectly clear that the Libyan government is using this case for political purposes, and that the Libyan legal proceedings, which led to the death sentences, were grossly biased.
Since 2003, when it accepted formal responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and publicly renounced terrorism and non-conventional weapons programs, Libya has endeavored to normalize its relationship with the international community, especially with the United States and the European Union. Today's action by the Libyan court represents a diplomatic - and morally offensive - reversal.
We call upon our Government, and all governments who adhere to the principles of the rule of law, to make clear to the Libyan government that its unacceptable behavior in this matter will undermine its efforts to achieve international legitimacy. Libya cannot rejoin the family of civilized nations unless the death sentences are nullified and the Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor are set free.
Ari M. Gordon Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org