site.btaThree Blood & Honour Members Charged with Inciting Discrimination, Hatred and Violence in Plovdiv

Three of those detained at a private club in Plovdiv linked to the international neo-Nazi organization Blood & Honour have been charged with inciting discrimination, hatred and violence based on race, nationality or sexual orientation, Plovdiv's Deputy District Prosecutor Neno Dimov said at a briefing here on Monday. Two of them are father and son, while the third is the tenant of the premises, who has been charged as the perpetrator. They are aged 39, 18 and 42, respectively, and have been detained for 72 hours.

During searches and seizures, flags bearing Nazi symbols, including swastikas and inscriptions, were found. Literature containing neo-Nazi ideology was also discovered at the homes of some of the organization’s members. Operational information about the group was provided by the State Agency for National Security (SANS).

Dimov said that links between some members of the organization and some of the youths present at the murder on Youth Hill are being established. One of them is the minor who was detained together with the 18-year-old defendant in the pre-trial proceedings concerning the assault of Nepalese nationals. They were released by the District Court, with bail for the young adult set at EUR 700. The prosecution office is expected to appeal the decision later on Monday. Dimov said there have been confessions in the case and further evidence has been collected.

It has been established that members of Blood & Honour in Plovdiv made an unsuccessful attempt to assault people because of their race and ethnicity. The organization has been active in the city for several years.

The penalty prescribed for such an offense is one to four years in prison.