Bulgarian "Rusophiles" Leader and Former Security Service Employee Charged with State Secrets Violation

Zlatomir Devlenski, chairman of the Bulgarian movement "Rusophiles" in Plovdiv, and former State Agency "National Security" (SANS) employee Ivan Galabov, who were arrested yesterday, have now been formally charged, reports the Bulgarian National Television (BNT). The Plovdiv prosecutor's office revealed that they face accusations of disclosing information classified as a state secret.

According to authorities, Ivan Galabov allegedly gathered and unlawfully disseminated sensitive information he accessed through his position at SANS. He is charged as the executor, while Zlatomir Devlenski is accused of instigating these actions within the "Rusophiles" movement's Plovdiv branch.

Following 24 hours in police custody, both individuals were released on bail of BGN 5,000 each and are prohibited from leaving Bulgaria pending further legal proceedings. If convicted, they could face sentences ranging from 2 to 8 years in prison.

Earlier today, the City Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) in Plovdiv issued a statement offering full support to Zlatomir Devlenski. The BSP's declaration denounced what it termed as a politically motivated arrest of the "Rusophiles" movement leader, expressing deep concern over the circumstances of his detention.

Gabriel Valkov, chairman of the BSP's youth organization, strongly criticized the manner in which Devlenski was apprehended, labeling it as incompatible with modern standards of justice, particularly in Bulgaria. Valkov vehemently denounced the charges against Devlenski as baseless and condemned what he described as unjustifiable arrests, citing previous condemnations of Bulgaria in international forums.

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