Prosecutor's office: The Bulgarian border guards wanted by Turkey did not violate the rules, there is a decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the case

Turkey requested the extradition of four Bulgarian nationals. Two of them have been declared internationally wanted with an Interpol Red Notice by the court in the Turkish city of Kırklareli, the Bulgarian Prosecutor's office said on January 18.

The request is in a case concerning the death of a Turkish citizen when a vessel was checked in Bulgarian territorial waters on 17 April 2008. The Prosecutor's office stressed that the wanted Bulgarian citizens are not subject to extradition, as the country does not extradite its citizens to non-EU countries. They added that a full and comprehensive investigation had been carried out in the case, which had established that no crime had been committed by the Bulgarian border police officers.

The Prosecutor's Office also recalls that in 2014 the European Court of Human Rights ruled on a case initiated by the heirs of the deceased Turkish citizen. The Court in Strasbourg held that the case concerned a fatal accident following a chance event and that the Bulgarian border police officers did not break the rules for using firearms.

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In 2008, near Rezovo, a Turkish poacher was caught fishing illegally in Bulgarian waters. He disobeyed and attacked Bulgarian border guards. A fatal shot was fired, killing the poacher.

After court hearings, the Bulgarian court's conclusions were self-defense and an accident.

A few years later, the court in the Turkish city of Kırklareli started a new case at the request of the relatives of the deceased. It requested extradition for the border guards.

On January 16, the court in Turkey held a new hearing, at which it again requested the detention of the Bulgarian men.

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