Video- Irish medics show solidarity with their imprisoned Bahraini colleagues

Success at last – at least for now. Eleven Bahraini doctors who were on hunger strike have been released from jail.

And credited with helping to seal their release is an Irish solidarity movement, based in Dublin, the capital of Southern Ireland.

Professor Damian McCormack is a highly regarded surgeon. He organised a twenty four hour solidarity fast after hearing about the striking medics.

Within hours, dozens of Irish doctors joined his plight, aided by himan rights activist Tara O’Grady

At the nearby University College of Dublin, new students were finding their feet, many unaware of the imprisonment and alleged torture of their peers in Bahrain.

There are still a number of doctors and nurses from Manama’s Salmaniya hospital who are locked up for alleged crimes against the regime. Many were educated in Ireland, which is why doctors and human rights groups here feel so strongly about the situation.

The eleven released doctors have not been cleared of their charges, they’ll still be tried in a military court, much to the anger of human rights campaigners. But with one small victory gained, the people aren’t giving up yet.

What’s vital is that the solidarity that’s being shown here is free from any Government influence. These are medics, students and human rights activists from all manner of backgrounds with nothing but a genuine concern for the humanitarian cause. Their individuality is what they hope gives them the upper hand in campaigning for justice for the imprisoned doctors of Salmaniya hospital.