БЗСР – The Bulgarian Prisoners' Association

State chaos! Torture in Pleven Prison!

22.10.2021

The eyes of the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association turn to Pleven Prison. The BPA has received horrifying information from Pleven Prison; it has become apparent that there is daily and systematic torture of prisoners. Crimes committed by not only the guards but also the medical staff who have participated in the crimes by covering them up. We have detailed reports of times, places and names of the victims and the criminals. The most common place of torture is of course where…

The Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association submitted a report to the European Commission

BPRA submitted a report to the European Commission

30.05.2020

News

The Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association submitted a report to the European Commission. The report was in reply to questions and topics had a word limit per answer and so links to sources are included in the text Justice System – Bulgaria Independence Appointment and selection of judges and prosecutors On 24 October 2019 Bulgaria’s Supreme Judicial Council elected Ivan Geshev, the former deputy Head Prosecutor, as the new Head Prosecutor, one of the most powerful figures in the country. The office…

You stand up for your rights, but all you get is more repressions

05.07.2019

News

The attacks against members and supporters of the only organised union of prisoners in Bulgaria – the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association (BPRA) – are not something new to us. They have been common since the very foundation of this organisation. Today, on the 6th years of BPRA’s existence, the repressions are intensifying.

‘The countryside is the best’, but who is paying for the holiday?

05.07.2019

News

Pazardjik Prison Vol. 2 Hello, friends! It’s been a while since I wrote to you last from this hole. I had decided to write again when I got a more positive outlook on things… I have tried to muster some positive feelings about my stay here, but alas…there is always a “but”… I had just come back from a court hearing for one of my lawsuits against CDES (Chief Directorate “Execution of Sentences”) and the Ministry of Justice when I…

When injustice Becomes Law, Resistance Becomes Duty

07.05.2019

In media

Jock Palfreeman’s hunger strike Kalin Angelov for Terminal 3 The author of this article has been a professional lawyer with a practice in Sofia since 2003. In 2013 he started working for the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association. He considers Jock Palfreeman a friend. Having read the materials on Palfreeman’s trial for the murder of student Andrey Monov, he is convinced that the 20-year prison sentence is unjust. Mr Angelov’s account is presented objectively and impartially. If anyone of the persons…

The prison in Pazardjik city: a story from inside

16.11.2018

News

The Pazardjik prison is a classic. I had heard a lot about it but now that I’m here, have no words to describe what I’m going through. Most people are mentally unstable or one step away from it, especially the prison management. The institution’s director Veselin Kotzev behaves like he’s at a market square. He screams, scolds and doesn’t know the letter of the law. Or rather, knows it, but behaves like a spoiled brat. His way or the high…

The BPRA position on the escapes

11.04.2018

News

The idea of discipline is a facade in front of the absolute chaos of human rights violations, abuse of power and embezzlement. The escapes from Sofia Prison have hit the media and society like a storm and the only version of events to flood the media is the censored version given by the Ministry of Justice. The Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association (BPRA) will attempt to break the walls of disinformation that the Ministry of Justice is trying to sell you. Firstly,…

The truth about prison guards in Bulgaria

02.01.2018

News

For some time now the Bulgarian prison guards have been grumbling about their wages. Of course like everyone they claim that they are underpaid and overworked. Mostly they base this claim on the lie that their job is somehow worse or more dangerous than any other job. However if you looked at the facts it is clear that guards not only shouldn’t have a pay rise, but that actually they are being paid too much at the expense of the…

Reply to statement concerning prisons

06.11.2017

News

The text (available only in Bulgarian) released by the FAB (Federation of the Anarchists in Bulgaria) on the webpage of their newspaper ‘Svobodna Misal’ (‘Free Thought’) written by Hristo Nikolov has some valid points. However the question arises ‘what the hell would FAB know about prisons in Bulgaria?’ Instead of the FAB showing solidarity towards prisoners and in this case with myself, the FAB has lead a campaign of lies against me for many years. The actions of the FAB…

How to fight corruption? A response from BPRA

13.07.2017

News

The minister of justice announced public discussion in combating corruption in the justice system. This is the response of the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association. Proposal From Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association In connection with the ‘Public Discussion’ announced by the Minister of Justice Tsatcheva Amongst the topics for discussion are the following: Which organs (institutions) should battle corruption at the different levels of power? Should the local authorities join the law-enforcing authorities in their atni-corruption fight? What should be the correlation between…