Bulgaria's High-Profile Criminal Trial 'Octopus' Back in Court

Alexey Petrov is the main defendant in the case, which many have labeled the criminal trial of the post-Communist period. Photo by BGNES

Sofia City Court will convene on May 2 to resume the hearings in a high profile criminal case, known as "Octopus", following a two-month suspension over the broken leg of a defendant.

Alexey Petrov is the main defendant in the case some have labeled the criminal trial of the post-Communist period.

The indictment against Petrov – a former employee of the State Agency for National Security, DANS, murky businessman and alleged crime boss, was filed by the prosecution following an investigation of close to two years. Petrov, together with five other people are facing charges of racketeering and extortion. He was arrested on February 10 2010, in a special operation codenamed "Octopus."

At the beginning of the Court session on February 24, the judge informed the parties that records of interrogations have vanished from the case's files and warned that if they are not reinstated ASAP, the security cameras will be checked, leading to "negative" consequences for those who have dared to take them. The documents are yet to be found.

The detainees were initially charged with organizing prostitution, drug trafficking, money laundering, racketeering, tax fraud and embezzlement.

In the summer of 2010, the prosecutor declared that it was impossible to solve the case with one trial and opened two trials against a total of 25 defendants, deploying a team of three prosecutors.

Petrov was released on house arrest in October 2010 after spending 8 months under arrest, which in February 2011 was changed to own recognizance. He ran for President in the end-October elections.

He continues to insist that the case against him is political retribution. He vowed to sue for libel all who testify against him, and stressed that this case will end up being a serious blow to national security and a humiliation for Bulgaria.

At the end of January, Ex-England Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith officially joined Petrov's defense team, hinting for journalists that he believes his client is innocent.

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