The investigation continues and has been taken under special supervision, said the press center of Ivan Geshev
The prosecutor’s office issued its first official statement on recordings of police violence circulated by the parliamentary committee to the Council of Ministers during anti-government protests last summer. It is clear from it that charges have been brought against 4 employees of the Ministry of Interior, but not when this happened, in what position they are and what has been established about their actions. So far, it is known that four police officers were only punished for the violence.
Here is what the official statement says:
On the occasion of the videos published on a number of electronic sites, containing footage of “police violence”, the Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office (SRS) informed the following:
Under the leadership and supervision of the SRS, 65 pre-trial proceedings have been instituted in connection with hooliganism and bodily harm caused during the protests in the summer of 2020. 24 of them have already been completed and brought to court. 4 persons were convicted by an effective court act.
On the occasion of the published videos, containing footage of “police violence”, the Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office monitored pre-trial proceedings for a crime under Article 131, paragraph 1, item 2 in connection with Article 130, paragraph 1 of the Penal Code – causing bodily harm. injuries from police officers in the performance of their duties.
In the course of the investigation, numerous witnesses were questioned, video recordings were requested and included, including the recording from a camera “under the columns of the Council of Ministers”. A video-technical expertise has been prepared by experts from the SDVR. Medical and other relevant documents are required and included. Forensic medical examinations have been appointed and prepared.
Four people have been prosecuted so far – employees of the Ministry of Interior as of the date of the act, for a crime under Article 131, paragraph 1, item 2 in connection with Article 130, paragraph 1 in connection with Art. 20, para 2 in conjunction with para 1 of the Penal Code.
The investigation is ongoing and has been taken under special supervision. “
A check of “Now” it shows, that one of the punished employees was Andon Andonov, who was chief at the time of sector to the department “Specialized police forces for protection and restoration of public order” at SDVR. He is challenging his disciplinary sanction imposed in August 2020 – a ban on promotion for a period of 2 years. However, the disciplinary inspection established that Andonov had given instructions for taking the protesters out and leading them under the columns of the Council of Ministers, as well as that he had taken part in a fight over them when they were already handcuffed.
That is why, with a decision issued on July 27 this year, Judge Kalin Kumanov accepted that it was it is indisputably proven that Andonov has committed violations of the Law on the Ministry of Interior and is properly sanctioned.
The ministry’s internal inspection report found that on July 10, 2020, at about 11:30 p.m., when protesters began throwing glass and plastic bottles at the police cordon, Andonov ordered the most aggressive protesters removed from the crowd. , far from the rest – under the columns of the Council of Ministers.
“During these actions and the detention of the protesters, Chief Inspector Andonov and his subordinates, Junior Inspector SS, together with Junior Inspector DD and Junior Inspector AA, used physical force against the protesting citizens, such as they struck them with their hands and feet, as well as dragged detainees on the pavement. The listed officers used a truncheon and handcuffs, without taking into account the specific situation, the nature of the violation of public order and the identity of the offenders. After the removal of the persons and the placing of handcuffs, Chief Inspector Andonov (including his subordinates) did not stop the use of physical force – he hit them, dragged them and threw them at other detainees without the circumstances requiring them to do so.“, reads the court decision.
Exactly during the disciplinary inspection, an examination of 2 files with the extension mp4 was made, which contain video images taken from the upper angle from one camera, video images without sound with indications for the date 07-10-2020 Fri and time from 22:30:08 until 23:30:58 hours in them. The cameras are located on the facade of the building of the Council of Ministers, the court decision reads. This coincides with the recordings screened in parliament on Friday. In addition, during the inspection, the experts came to the conclusion that the police officers could be recognized by the staff.
Earlier today, the co-chair of “Democratic Bulgaria” Hristo Ivanov announced that tomorrow they will submit a request for the Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev to be heard during the extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly, convened by Chairwoman Iva Miteva on Tuesday over police violence.
All parties, with the exception of GERB and MRF, said that in addition to the perpetrators, their direct leaders and former interior ministers, as well as Boyko Borissov and Ivan Geshev himself, should be held accountable, as the recordings have been hidden so far.
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