AFGHAN MAN, ACCUSED OF BURNING THE BULGARIAN FLAG, WILL REMAIN IN CUSTODY

The Afghan national Bahir Yanural who was accused of throwing a Bulgarian national flag into a fire during the unrest in the refugee accommodation centre in Harmanli will remain in custody, the Bulgarian Specialised Criminal Court decided on 27th November. Although he denies, according to the prosecutor’s office there is convincing evidence that he was responsible for burning the Bulgarian flag. If found guilty, he he will face 2 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 3,000 BGN.

Charges of hooliganism have already been pressed against him and 18 other people.

According to witnesses, the 20 year old Bahir is one of the organizers of the unrest in the refugee camp in the South Bulgarian town of Harmalni. During the riot, he threw stones and hit one of the police officers in the head. The court decided to keep him in custody for desecration of the Bulgarian flag.

The court accepted the prosecution’s arguments that there was a risk the defendant would commit further crime or take flight. Earlier, Bahir had told the State Agency for Refugees that he had crossed the border illegally and entered Bulgaria with the help of traffickers. He also presented himself with somebody else’s personal identity. Several days before the unrest in the refugee camp in Harmanli, he was refused international protection and had been described as economic rather than political migrant.

Prosecutor Kalin Bliznakov said that Bahir had no identity documents and the pre-trial investigation materials showed he had no permanent address. According to his lawyer he has a permanent address in Sofia, although Bahir claimed he never lived in Sofia.

In court Bahir said he took the flag off the pole to protect it but somebody else took it from his hands and he did not know what happened afterwards. He admitted he participated in the rebellion but in a peaceful manner, according to his words.

The decision of the court is subject to an appeal within 3 days.

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