site.btaUPDATED Citizens Protest in Downtown Sofia Demanding Truth about Petrohan-Okolchitsa Case
Citizens staged a peaceful protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia demanding that the truth be revealed about the Petrohan-Okolchitsa case. The event was organized by Ralitsa Asenova, mother of Nikolay Zlatkov, one of the victims, together with relatives and friends of the other victims.
Police presence in the area has been increased. Protesters are carrying yellow hearts, as this was Nikolay Zlatkov's favourite colour. They are chanting "The truth today".
Ralitsa Asenova, speaking as one of the people close to the victims, told the protesters that what had been happening over the past month and a half was “unheard of and inhumane”. She said the victims’ relatives and close friends, including herself, had initially tried to deal with the matter quietly, but later concluded that “we had done nothing wrong, we were not criminals” and could not remain silent after their loved ones had been killed.
Asenova also asked why, after it was initially mentioned that semen had been found, it was not later clarified that no semen had in fact been found in any of the bodies. “The first thing the pathologists were told about both Petrohan and Okolchitsa was to look for semen,” she added.
Petrohan-Okolchitsa is a high-profile criminal case in which five men and a 15-year-old boy met a violent death between February 1 and 8. Their bodies were found in two remote mountain locations in Northwestern Bulgaria: a lodge near the Petrohan Pass and a camper van near Okolchitsa Peak. Forensic experts established that all six died of gunshot wounds. Law enforcement officials said the principal leads they followed, based on ballistics findings, the causes of death have been identified as suicide at the lodge and homicide and suicide in the camper.
/NZ/
Additional
news.modal.image.header
news.modal.image.text
news.modal.download.header
news.modal.download.text
news.modal.header
news.modal.text