24.7.2007

HIV medics released to Bulgaria

The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor were convicted of deliberately infecting Libyan children with HIV - charges they have always denied.

The release follows years of diplomacy by EU officials and two trips to Libya by the new French president's wife.

An EU official told the BBC the release had been made possible by a deal struck in Tripoli on improving Libya-EU ties.

The European Union's External Affairs Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, signed a memorandum promising that the EU would improve relations with Libya and that she would make a proposal to that effect to the 27 EU member states, an official in Brussels said.

Ms Ferrero-Waldner and Cecilia Sarkozy, the wife of France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, are reportedly on board the French government plane taking the Bulgarians home.

Last week, the six had death sentences commuted to life in prison by Libya's top legal body.

The High Judicial Council ruling came after the families of the 438 children agreed a compensation deal reportedly worth $1m (£500,000) per child.

Transfer deal

Bulgaria had officially asked Libya to repatriate the medics so they could serve out their sentences in Bulgaria.

The Palestinian doctor was granted Bulgarian citizenship last month to allow him to benefit from any transfer deal.

The medics were convicted of deliberately injecting 438 children with HIV-tainted blood. Fifty-six children have since died.

The six, who have been in prison since 1999, say they were tortured to confess.

Foreign experts say the infections started before the medics arrived at the hospital, and are more likely to have been a result of poor hygiene.

Bulgaria, its allies in the European Union, and the United States say Libya has used the case to deflect criticism from its run-down health service.