torture works!

Torture works according to the Libyan government:

The defendants all claimed innocence and said in testimony that earlier statements in which they confessed to deliberately infecting 426 children with the virus that causes AIDS were extracted by torture. Libyans have contended the defendants were carrying out an AIDS experiment that went wrong.

While executing health workers may sound totally insane to us, it's quality entertainment to the Libyan street:

Outside the courthouse in Tripoli on Tuesday, families carried posters demanding "Death for the children killers." After the verdict, the crowd chanted "Execution! Execution!" the Associated Press reported.

The scary thing about this is that there is apparently nothing anyone can really do. International pressure won them a new trial, but Libya seems to lack a functioning justice system so of course everyone is convicted again.
Graciously, Libya has offered not to execute the medical workers if a bribe is paid, but it's a huge amount of money:

The Libyan government has suggested compensation of 10 million euros (about $13 million) per child, which presumably would allow the defendants to be freed, but Bulgaria has refused to pay, saying it would be an admission of guilt.

Note to self: Never volunteer as a medical worker in Libya.