We, the students and affiliates of RCSI, believe that the Royal College of Surgeons should follow the lead of Médecins Sans Frontières, Amnesty International and the Royal College of Surgeons in England and issue a formal statement condemning the arrest and detainment of doctors and nurses who have treated protesters in Bahrain. We believe that the role of a medical professional is to provide medical care to those who are injured regardless of race, belief or political affiliation, in keeping with the Geneva convention, and that RCSI should uphold these ideals. We acknowledge the political sensitivty of such a statement, given the close relationship between RCSI and the government of Bahrain. However, we believe to need to protect Bahraini medical staff, many of whom have been trained by RCSI, supercedes this. We believe that this is an issue to be supported by those on both sides of the political divide, as the provision of healthcare should be divorced from political issues. In light of this, we urge all students, regardless of political opinion, to sign this petition and preserve the role of the healthcare professional as one which transcends politics.

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