Doctors Without Borders

“Doctors Without Borders suspended its work in the Libyan city of Misrata last week because prison officials repeatedly brought torture victims in for treatment — only to return them to interrogation after they received medical care. SPIEGEL spoke with the group’s general director, Christopher Stokes, about the situation in Libya.”

__________________________________________
“SPIEGEL: Your organization has suspended operations in Misrata. Why?

Stokes: Because some officials have sought to exploit and obstruct our medical work. Our mission was to treat war-wounded detainees. Since then, doctors from Doctors Without Borders were increasingly confronted with patients who suffered injuries caused by torture during interrogation sessions. In total, we treated 115 people who had torture-related wounds, Libyans and foreigners from African countries whom they accuse of having been mercenaries for Gadhafi’s regime.

SPIEGEL: How were the prisoners tortured?

Stokes: We have encountered bone fractures as a result of torture and we received patients who had been electrically shocked.”

__________________________________________

Read the whole interview with SPIEGEL here.

Read the MSF Press Release here.

Photo: Benoit Finck © MSF