Bulgarian Court Leaves Dogan's Failed Assassin behind Bars

Crime | January 22, 2013, Tuesday // 13:00|  views

25-year-old Oktay Enimehmedov (middle) during his hearing at the Sofia Regional Court on Tuesday. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia Regional Court has ordered the permanent detention of Oktay Enimehmedov, the 25-year-old ethnic Turk from Bulgaria's Burgas who attacked Ahmed Dogan, the emblematic leader of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish party DPS (Movement for Rights and Freedoms) on Saturday.

Ahmed Dogan, founder and leader of the DPS party ("Movement for Rights and Freedoms"), was the target of an attack right on the floor of a party conference on Saturday by 25-year-old Oktay Enimehmedov, also a Bulgarian citizen from ethnic Turkish origin. However, the gas pistol that Enimehmedov pointed at Dogan's head misfired.

Enimehmedov is charged with making a murder threat and hooliganism "characterized by particular audacity".

Initially, the Prosecutor's Office wanted to charge him with a murder attempt but the charge was later modified as it become know that with his gas pistol the young attacker technically had no chance of killing Dogan.

Bulgaria's Chief Prosecutor, Sotir Tsatsarov, and his Deputy, Borislav Sarafov, requested the strongest measure – permanent detention for Oktay Enimehmedov on grounds he might flee, hide and/or commit another crime, and for his own safety.

Tsatsarov has commented for the Bulgarian National Radio that someone could attack and even kill Enimehmedov. He said he did not have any concrete reasons to back the above, but "history provided plenty of similar examples."

"I firmly believe that the prosecution must ask for permanent detention and it has its strong motives, however, the decision belongs to the judges," the Chief Prosecutor says.

In his defense, during Tuesday's hearing, Oktay Enimehmedov said he did not want to evade taking responsibility for his actions, and assured the court he would not hide but did say somebody might try "to wipe him out".

He also told the court he was no threat to society but only to "the secret society" of the DPS party, referring apparently to Ahmed Dogan and his inner circle making up the party leadership.

Enimehmedov also reiterated that he was not sorry for his actions but for the fact that his gun misfired.

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Tags: Borislav Sarafov, Sotir Tsatsarov, Chief Prosecutor, Oktay Enimehmedov, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, ethnic Turkish party, Ahmed Dogan, gas pistol, assassination attempt, permanent detention, Sofia Regional Court

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