PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TERMINATED PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICER IN RELATION TO A SHOOTING INCIDENT WITH AN AFGHAN MIGRANT

The district Prosecutor’s office in the Black sea coastal city of Bourgas has terminated the pre-trial criminal proceedings against the border police officer Valkan Hambarliev in relation to the shooting of an Afghan national in the region of Sredets in October 2015. The reason for the termination of the criminal proceedings was lack of committed indictable offence, the prosecutor’s office said on 28th of June.

The statement says that Hambarliev had acted in accordance with his official duties regarding the detention of foreign nationals who violated the territorial sovereignty of the Bulgarian state. The warning shot he fired was in line with the legal provisions.

On 15th of October 2015, 30 km away from the Bulgarian-Turkish border near the town of Sredets, three Bulgarian border patrol officers came upon a group of 54 young men aged between 20-30, who crossed the border illegally.

The group of migrants did not obey the police orders and a police officer fired a warning shot. As a result of a bullet ricochet, one of the migrants was injured and died on the way to the hospital.