A total of BGN 1 mln paid in compensations to victims of police violence

Ana Mihova

A total of BGN 906,000 was spent by the State in compensations to victims of police violence who sued Bulgaria at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. These is the data of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC), which was presented yesterday at a roundtable on the issue: "Police Violence in Bulgaria: Stop It Now." 

In 12 years, between 1998 and 2010, the court in Strasbourg ruled on 27 convictions against our country and 26 of these were for violence exercised by police authorities. "In 23 cases, the Bulgarian State was convicted because of police brutality and because of inadequate investigations," explained lawyer Margarita Ilieva from BHC. "Prosecutors and investigators remained passive in order to protect police officers from criminal prosecution. The few times when cases reached the court, it also showed indulgence,” found out human rights defenders. They established that there has been no police officer sentenced effectively for violence in the cases ruled on by the court in Strasbourg.

Some 9 of the cases won were conducted due to death caused by police officers. A total of 10 persons were killed by the law enforcement bodies. Some 16 cases were initiated by 20 victims of police violence, subjected to humiliation and inhuman treatment, including torture. In three cases, the police officers refused life-saving medical care to the beaten criminals.

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