Syrian hospitals accused of torture

The Syrian government has been accused by Amnesty International of torturing wounded protesters at state-run hospitals, CNN International reports.

Amnesty International has accused the government of using the medical facilities and staff as “instruments of repression,” CNN reports. The report released Tuesday claims this is a latest trend by Syria’s security forces to crack down on protesters against President Bashar al-Assad.

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The human rights group’s report states that wounded patients in at least four government-run hospitals have been subjected to torture, Reuters reports. The report also included that some hospital workers suspected of treating protesters injured from protests have faced either arrest or torture.

"It is deeply alarming that the Syrian authorities seem to have given the security forces a free rein in hospitals, and that in many cases hospital staff appear to have taken part in torture and ill treatment of the very people they are supposed to care for," said Cilina Nasser, an Amnesty researcher, Reuters reports.

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The 39-page report also states that protesters and victims have avoided going to government hospitals and instead seek treatment at private facilities or “poorly equipped” makeshift field hospitals, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Syrian government has yet to respond to the allegations.

About 3,000 people have died since the protests against Assad started in mid-March, the L.A. Times reports.

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