The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called for the release of the five Bulgarian nurses on trial for intentional HIV infection of more than 400 children in Libya.

A PACE statement said the organisation was concerned over the demands of prosecutors for the confirmation of the death sentences of the Bulgarians.

Tripoli had to guarantee a fair and transparent trial, the PACE statement said. The fact that intentional medical experts were not permitted to analyse the causes of the infection was troubling, the statement said quoted by Focus news agency.

Previously the lawyers of the Bulgarians demanded medical analysis of the causes of the infection but court turned down the request. According to a previous medical report the infection in Benghazi occurred before the Bulgarians started working there.

A court sitting took place on September 5 but was re-scheduled to September 12 since the lawyer of the Palestinian doctor on trial for the same charges failed to appear before the court.