2007年VOA标准英语-Libya Commutes Medics' Death Sentence in AIDS C

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
17 July 2007

The death sentence of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with the AIDS virus, HIV, has been commuted¹ to life in prison. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome the Bulgarians' effort now is to get the nurses repatriated².

The ruling came after the families of the children each received one million dollars in compensation.

The families agreed to drop their demand for the execution of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor charged with having infected with HIV more 400 Libyan children at a hospital in the northeastern coastal³ city of Benghazi.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin called the ruling "a huge step in the right direction."

International experts and outside scientific reports have said for years that the children were contaminated as a result of unhygienic conditions in the Libyan hospital.

Libyan security guards stand in front of the dock during the trial of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor in Tripoli, 04 Nov 2006

Libya's Supreme⁴ Court had upheld the death sentence of the six medics last week, but the Judiciary Council meeting late Tuesday overruled the court and commuted the sentences to life imprisonment⁵.

Libya remains⁶ under intense international pressure to free the medical workers who have been in prison since 1999.

Libya's Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam said Tripoli was willing to consider the medics' deportation⁷ to Bulgaria. He said the negotiations⁸ would take place within "the legal framework and political context" between the two countries.

The United States and European Union welcomed the move by the Libyan judicial⁹ council, which could remove an obstacle toward rebuilding ties with Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

The United States said the ruling was a "positive step" and State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. was "encouraged" by the decision. He urged the Libyan government to find a way now to allow the medics to return home.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said it was a relief that Libya's High Judicial Council did not uphold the death sentence.

1 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

2 repatriated   

v.把（某人）遣送回国，遣返( repatriate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The refugees were forcibly repatriated. 难民被强制遣送回国。
• Ancient artworks were repatriated from the US to Greece. 古代艺术品从美国遣送回希腊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。