Light Court Sentences for Bulgaria's Notorious Muslim Brothers

The notorious Ali Yuzeirov is shown walking out of the Shumen hotel wearing a red Turkish fez on the day he attempted to found the Muslim party OTOMAN. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's notorious ethnic Turk, Yuzeir Yuzeirov, (with the Bulgarian name of Rosen Yordanov) was sentenced Wednesday to one year probation by the District Court in the town of Popovo.

Yuzeirov was found guilty on two counts - organizing a religious party, and conducting a meeting for the party's establishment, despite the ban of the Mayor of Popovo.

His brother, with the Muslim name of Ali Yuzeirov, (Atanas Yordanov) received a fine of BGN 4 000 on the first count only.

In addition to the two charges, the brothers were accused of gross hooliganism when building the Monument of the Unknown Turkish Soldier in the village of Slavyanovo. They were both acquitted on the third count.

The trial was postponed three times over Yuzeir Yuzeirov's failure to appear in the courtroom. He was absent during the Wednesday session as well. Another sibling – a sister was present, but she refused to testify. A total of 10 witnesses took the stand.

The verdict can be appealed in 15 days before the Regional Court in the city of Targovishte.

In the beginning of April, Yuzeirovi's attempt to found the Muslim party OTOMAN in the city of Shumen failed because the brothers were unable to gather the needed 500 supporters. Ali Yuzeirov complained at the time that many buses and followers on foot were on their way but could not arrive to the meeting because they were stopped by the police.

The abbreviation OTOMAN stands for "Union for Tolerance, Responsibility, Moral, and Alternative Progress." Yet the party's name bears uncanny connotation to the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria's bitter past under Turkish dominion.

Yuzeirovi insist that OTOMAN's main goal is to promote religious and ethnic tolerance. Their similar initiatives in the summer and fall of 2009 have been slammed by many commentators as attempts to stir ethnic and religious tension.

In the fall of 2009, the two brothers erected a monument of the Unknown Turkish/Muslim Soldier near Targovishte, which was torn down by the authorities after court action.

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