1 000 Protest against Sentences of Former Bulgaria Policemen

Over 1000 people protested against the sentences of 5 former policemen over alleged police violence. The banner in the middle reads: "We Know Them and We Know They Are Innocent". Photo by BGNES

Over 1 000 people gathered for a protest rally before the Court House in the southern Bulgarian city of Blagoevgrad declaring themselves against the sentence of five former policemen.

The protest in Blagoevgrad was organized by the police syndicate in the city. The people who attended were current and former policemen, fire-fighters, parents, and public figures, according to the BGNES news agency.

Last week a Bulgarian court upheld the verdict of five anti-mafia policemen, who were sentenced to a total of 82 years in jail for allegedly killing 38-year-old Angel Dimitrov in the city of Blagoevgrad during a police operation four years ago.

Major Miroslav Pisov was sentenced to 18 years behind bars, while the other four - captain Ivo Ivanov, chief-lieutenant Boris Mehandzhijski, and sergeants Georgi Kalinkov and Yanko Grahovski - to 16 years in jail.

Angel Dimitrov AKA Chorata, was allegedly killed in November of 2005 by the Blagoevgrad police during a law enforcement operation entitled "Respect."

Dimitrov's death was first declared the result of a heart attack but expertise showed that he had passed away due to blows to the head. Chorata was a close associate of the alleged mobster Vasil Gorchev, who was publicly executed in January of 2005.

 

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