BHC: Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2001
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 17:16:15 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: BHC: Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2001
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Desislava Simeonova <[email protected]>
BHC: Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2001
The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee released its Annual Report Human
Rights in Bulgaria in 2001. The report expresses concern about serious
human rights violations against large groups of people in different
spheres of Bulgarian society:
- Torture, ill treatment, and excessive use of force and firearms by
law enforcement officials continued to be a serious problem in
Bulgaria. As in previous years, at least 10 people died in 2001 under
conditions that prompt serious suspicions about the excessive use of
force and firearms by police officers and private bodyguards. Almost
50 percent of people detained at police stations and then transferred
to prison facilities are complaining about torture and ill treatment.
- The conditions in some state institutions for mentally disabled
people, as well as in detention facilities for defendants and
foreigners were inhuman and degrading.
- Another serious problem with the right to a fair trial - access to
justice for indigent criminal defendants - was as acute in 2001 as in
previous years. No changes to laws or to legal regulations were made
to facilitate this access. Consequently, thousands of indigent
criminal defendants went without lawyers at all stages of the court
proceedings. Many of these people were sentenced to extended periods
of detention, in blatant violation of the norms for fair and just
trials.
- The year 2001 did not see any qualitative changes in the situation
of the Bulgarian media. Citizens witnessed yet another series of
unabating attempts on the part of the political authorities to control
national electronic media, resulting in mass protests and repressions
against journalists.
- Racial discrimination and the violations of rights of people,
belonging to ethnic minorities, continued to be a serious problem.
Roma people suffered the most. Several successful ethnic cleansings
were carried out as well as other discriminatory actions which
worsened the state of isolation of Roma minority.
The full text of the report is available online at:
http://www.bghelsinki.org/en/annual/2001.htm (in English)
http://www.bghelsinki.org/bg/annual/bg2001.htm (in Bulgarian)
______________________
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
7 Varbitsa Street, apt. 13-15
1504 Sofia Bulgaria
tel.: +3592 943 4876
fax: +3592 944 0670
office email: [email protected]
website: www.bghelsinki.org <http://www.bghelsinki.org/>
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