Indian-origin doctor in Bahrain faces legal trouble for backing Israel in ongoing conflict

Dr. Sunil Rao, a physician of Indian origin, was arrested by Bahraini police and suspended from his job at the Royal Bahrain Hospital for expressing online support for Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict. He had posted a message condemning the attacks by Hamas in Palestine, leading to his arrest and job suspension.

A doctor of Indian origin, Dr Sunil Rao, has been arrested by Bahraini police and suspended from his job at the Royal Bahrain Hospital due to his online support for Israel during the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Palestine. Dr. Sunil Rao, a 50-year-old physician based in Karnataka’s Mangaluru had posted a message on social media condemning the attack by Hamas militants in Palestine, where over 5,000 rockets were fired into Israel. This caught the attention of a user who tagged the Bahraini government in response to the post.

As Dr Rao's post went viral on social media, he issued an apology, acknowledging the sensitivity of the topic. He stated, "I apologize for the statement I posted on this forum. This is a sensitive issue in the current context. As a doctor, all lives are very important. I respect this country and its people and religion very much. I have been serving there for the last 10 years."

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Despite the apology, legal action was taken against Dr Sunil Rao. He was not only arrested by Bahraini authorities on cybercrime charges but also faced consequences at his workplace. The Royal Bahrain Hospital, where Dr. Rao worked as a specialist in internal medicine, released a statement distancing itself from his views. 

The hospital stated, "The post made by Dr. Sunil Rao is offensive to our society. We want to make sure that their posts and opinions are personal and do not reflect the opinions and values of the hospital. This is a violation of our code of conduct, and we have taken necessary legal action against Sunil. Sunil has been dismissed from service with immediate effect."