Bulgaria was convinced in the innocence of the Bulgarian nurses accused of intentional HIV infection in Libya, an Foreign Ministry press release said.

Libya accused five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian medic of intentional HIV infection of more than 400 children in a hospital in Benghazi.

Bulgaria stood behind its position that the nurses were innocent and insisted on their liberation, the press release said.

Bulgaria considered eventual death sentences unacceptable.

Libya's Supreme Court already overruled once the Bulgarians' death sentences on December 25 2005, the press release reminded.

Interior Ministry expected shortly after the September 21 court sitting new sentences to be announced.