Bahraini doctors and nurses are scheduled to stand trial in a military court for treating anti-government protesters

Bahraini authorities have referred 47 medics to a military court after accusing them of “abusing their posts” to take part in anti-regime protests , despite international pressure on Bahrain to stop the violent crackdown on demonstrators.
  
The defendants include 24 doctors and 23 nurses, the kingdom's Information Affairs Authority (IAA) said in a statement late Tuesday, adding that the military prosecution has already leveled several charges against them.
  
Authorities set up a military court after King Hamad declared a state of national safety, a lower level of emergency, a day before security forces crushed a month-long protest demanding democratic reforms.
  
The medics have all worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama, which was stormed by security forces after they drove protesters on March 16 out of the nearby Pearl Square -- the focal point of protests inspired by uprisings that have swept the Arab world.
  
At the time, Bahraini state media accused medics who sympathised with the protesters of occupying the SMC and turning it into a protest ground.
  
The 47 medics have been charged with "refusal to extend assistance to a person in need, embezzlement of public funds, assault, assault that resulted in death, unauthorized possession of weapons and ammunition, refusal to perform duties and putting people's lives and health at risk," the IAA said.
  
They have also been charged with "illegal detention, abuse of authority to suspend and stall laws and regulations, attempts to occupy buildings by force, incitement to the forceful overthrow of a political regime," it added. In addition, they were accused of "incitement to hatred of a regime, incitement to hatred of a segment of society, dissemination of false news and malicious rumors that could harm public interest and participation in unauthorized rallies and meetings," it said.
  
Bahrain has come under strong criticism from international human rights organizations for its heavy-handed crackdown on Bahrainis, including medical staff.

Physicians for Human Rights say doctors and nurses have been detained, tortured, or disappeared because they have "evidence of atrocities committed by the authorities, security forces, and riot police" in the crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Earlier on Tuesday, dozens of Iranian doctors congregated outside the Bahraini Embassy in Tehran to voice their support for the anti-regime protesters in Bahrain.