Defendants in Vratsa Murder Case Released on Bail

Damayov brothers' lawyer is seen here at the Sofia Court of Appeals on January 26, 2016. The brothers themselves did not appear in the courtroom. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia Court of Appeals has decided to release on bail two brothers who beat to death 18-year-old Todor Yordanov in broad daylight in the northwestern town of Vratsa.

Ivan Damyanov, 32, and his brother Desislav Damyanov, 36, have to pay BGN 2000 (EUR 1000) each. Earlier in January they were placed under house arrest.

The two were charged with premeditated murder, after the indictment initially contained only charges of causing death by negligence, with prosecutors saying forensic experts were yet to establish if Todor's death was caused by the beating itself.

Social anger around the country, however, forced the district court of Vratsa to change the indictment, with Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov personally committing himself to overseeing the trial and dispatching a team of senior prosecutors to Vratsa.

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