Bulgarian 'Killer' Skips Appellate Court Hearing

Petar Atmadzhov, who was arrested as part of the "Killers" crime group, was covered with his jacket during the whole hearing on his appeal. Photo by BGNES

The President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation, Petar Stoyanov aka the Chieftain, did not attend the court hearing on his appeal of the court ruling that left him in permanent detention on suspicions that he led an organized group of paid assassins.

For the past two months, Stoyanov and four other men, suspected of participating in the organized crime group known as "Killers", have been on and off in the arrest as courts have released them on bail claiming the prosecutors and the police failed to present sufficient evidence for permanent detention.

Petar Atmadzhov, arrested during the "Killers" operation, also appealed his detention at the Court of Appeals in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna on Tuesday.

The sumo wrestler is investigated for the murders of local businessman Rumen Rashev, the Veliko Tarnovo lawyer Petar Lupov, and Sofia energy businessman Borislav Georgiev, a close associate of energy tycoon Hristo Kovachki. In Sofia, Stoyanov is under investigation for the murder of football club president Yuriy Galev. His additional charge is of organizing and heading an organized crime group.

According to Stoyanov's defense, the case should not have taken place at the District Court in the northeastern city of Shumen, but at the Sofia City Court.

One of the three lawyers of the Chieftain has demanded that the case is sent to Sofia and that Stoyanov is released on bail.

He claimed that there was no evidence that his client had executed the crimes he was charged with and there was no danger that he would abscond.

The three defendants of Stoyanov have stated that the evidences against him had been patched-up and collected under social and media pressure.

They also claimed they would approach all civil and state organs on the conditions in which the arrested had been kept in Shumen. In their words, the cell, in which Stoyanov and six other people were kept, lacked water, restroom and enough air.

"In no way, in the last 3-4 years, have I abetted people in killing anybody," Stoyanov said and added that the only thing he wanted was a fair trial.

The Chieftain was arrested on July 23 in Sofia during the special police operation codenamed "Killers." He was released on bail on August 3 by the Court of Appeals, only to be brought back to jail on September 21 on suspicions that he murdered local businessman Rumen Rachev.

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