Absolute Necessity to Use Firearms Introduced in Bulgaria's Interior Ministry Act

Bulgaria's Parliament has adopted at second reading legal amedments aimed at stemming police brutality. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgaria's Parliament adopted Wednesday at second reading amendments to the Interior Ministry Act aimed at curbing police brutality.

According to the new provisions, developed largely thanks to the efforts of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) and Deputy Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov, police officers will be allowed to use firearms, handcuffs and batons only in cases of absolute necessity.

The previous wording of the law listed the use of firearms as a measure of last resort.

When using firearms, Interior Ministry officials will be required to do everything possible to preserve the life and health of the detained.

Apart from that, police officers will not be able to use firearms to arrest a person who is not committing or has not committed a murder or an act of violence and if the person is not a threat to the life and health of other people.

The amendments were adopted after a spate of police brutality cases in Bulgaria and a number of guilty verdicts against Bulgaria issued by the European Court of Human Rights stressing loopholes in domestic legislation allowing for unpunished police violence.

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