At least 9 days in separate cells for students accused of paint mall (Overview)

• Sofia District Court arrested them in closed session
• A parent claims the youth were defending themselves – it was not clear from where or what

At least 9 days will be spent in the cells with the three students accused of painting over a dessert in the mall on Blvd. “Bulgaria” on Sunday. They were arrested by Judge Lora Mitankina in the Sofia District Court.

Her reasons were not clear when she closed the meeting. Even before the measurement began, the journalists learned from the table in the corridor that they would not enter – it said “Closed session”. And when Mitankina contacted the lawyers of the boys – 15, 16 and 17 years old – according to the settlement, she said she was canceling the step, without explaining why. In the Code of Criminal Procedure there is no requirement that hearings against children be closed.

Such are only cases with classified information and with close details. Some judges, after journalists enter the courtroom and see the accused, cite international conventions for the protection of young people and thus encourage themselves not to public hearings. In addition to the defendants, Mitankina also released the students’ parents.

Reporters learned the decision of the court from the Deputy. district prosecutor Sofia Atanas Dotsinski. He explained that the court had left the three in custody. They are responsible for certified hooliganism and can remain in custody for up to 2 months, because they are not 18 years old, explained the prosecutor. For adults, the term is 5 months. The students will be in pretrial detention, but in separate cells.

They can apply on December 3. This means that if they are released, they will have spent at least 9 days in cells each, since they were detained on the evening of November 24.

After the meeting, one of the parents said that the children were protecting themselves. He did not explain what he meant.

According to the case, the seed breaker was attacked after a group of students spraying water and spat on the restaurant’s customers, in which he worked. The 23-year-old made an idea for them, and his students jumped into the fray. The boys are accused of hitting the young man and exploding him. They provided an explanation, Dotsinski said. They are yet to be confirmed.

In addition to the three teenagers, a 13-year-old boy was also detained. As he is a minor, he cannot be held criminally responsible and was released on Monday. Educational measures will be applied against him. If found guilty, his friends could serve up to 2 years in prison.