Human Rights Watch says it has documented "serious government abuses" of Bahrain's health professionals, injured protesters and medical facilities since February when the country's Shiite majority started a campaign for greater freedoms in the Sunni-ruled island nation.

The New York-based group published its findings in a report released Monday.

The report says authorities have detained more than 70 medical professionals during a four-month crackdown. Forty-eight doctors and nurses were charged with anti-state crimes by a security tribunal with military prosecutors.