A day after the trial of the five Bulgarian nurses charged with intentional HIV infection in Libya was postponed again, Nature magazine called for more active involvement of the international community in the case.

The magazine said that while NGOs and several lawyers were trying to establish the innocence of the Bulgarians the international community remained inactive.

US decided to re-establish its diplomatic relations with Libya this year, despite the developments in the trial, Nature reported.

“International diplomacy… by necessity often involves turning a blind eye. But its lack of progress in response to the medics' case in Libya is an affront to the basic democratic principles that the [US] and the [EU] espouse”, the report said.

The September 21 sitting was expected to be the final one in the trial. Due to the failure of the Bulgarians’ lawyer to appear before court, the trial was postponed once again.

During the previous sitting prosecution presented footage of the search in the house of nurse Kristiana Vulcheva. According to prosecution the main evidence of guilt, empty blood banks, was found during that search.

Foreign medics analysed the causes of the infection and said it resulted from poor hygiene. According to their report the infection occurred before the Bulgarians began working in Benghazi’s children hospital.

“Finding a scapegoat is easier than having to admit that the infection of the children was an accidental tragedy. But the most likely diplomatic compromise — that the medics will be condemned to death, with this being commuted to a life sentence — is unacceptable. They are innocent, and the law and science can prove it, if they get the belated opportunity”, the Nature article said.