БЗСР – Page 3 – The Bulgarian Prisoners' Association

Donations

15.04.2016

Our account information is: Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association (in notes) Texim Bank IBAN: BG29TEXI95451003928100 BIC: TEXIBGSF You can also donate via PayPal: For further information about donations, please contact us. All donations will be ecstatically received!!! No amount too small!! It will all add up and be put to good use, at the moment the money will be used to defend prisoners’ rights especially in regards to appealing illegal orders given by the prison administrations.

Asylum Seekers inform yourselves

15.04.2016

Legal Support

Since about mid 2010 Sofia Central Prison has been filling up with asylum seekers, this is as they are entering Bulgaria their rights are not only being ignored but are being purposefully denied by the police, prosecutors’ office and the courts. According to Article 279(5) of the criminal law asylum seekers are protected from criminal prosecution when crossing the borders without permission. However the criminal justice system in many cases ignores the protected status of asylum seekers who cross the…

In case you are arrested

15.04.2016

Legal Support

So you’ve been arrested…. The handcuffs have been put on you by a smartarse cop and he starts pushing you towards his car or office. You’re freaking out and thinking about your friends or family and how they will react to this. Your heart is pumping and you start to think that your life is over. However this is a critical time and what you do next can affect the rest of your life. There are a few steps that…

Asylum Seekers and Dinko Valev

07.04.2016

News

There is a so called “Refugee Hunter” called Dinko Valev who has become infamous within Bulgaria and the EU for assaulting and illegally detaining asylum seekers who he finds having entered Bulgaria from the Turkish border. There are also other far right groups who are copying the actions of the “Refugee Hunter” such as the organisation ‘Association for the Protection of Bulgarians’. Recently groups of far right and neo-nazi organizations have raised Valev to the status of a hero for…

BPRA Nominated for Human of the Year 2015

08.12.2015

In media, News

We have been nominated for Human of the Year 2015 in the annual contest of Bulgarian Helsinki Committee. Here are the motives: Bulgarian Prisoners Rehabilitation Association (BPRA) directly defends the human rights of prisoners in Bulgaria. Though consequential work to reform the criminal justice system of Bulgaria, the human rights of all Bulgarian citizens are enhanced. The BPRA is uniquely a NGO for prisoners that seeks to reconcile the operation of Bulgarian prisons with international obligations to human rights for…

The Russian pit-fall trap

19.11.2014

News

Bulgaria’s detention and extradition of EU citizens to Russia and other non-EU states Nikolay Koblyakov (Nikolai Kobliakov – Николай Кобляков) is a Russian ex-pat activist with residency in France. He travelled to Bulgaria for holidays and was subsequently arrested by the boarder police due to an extradition request issued by Russia. Articles were published in English, French and Bulgarian, and it is about time too. Possibly people haven’t taken notice previously, however many people have been arrested at Bulgaria’s boarders…

BPRA Here To Stay!

16.06.2014

News

Imprisonment over the conviction time There have been numerous calls for some information to escape the prison walls of Sofia Central and I hope I can appease these requests for information although I am not sure what people will find interesting. Daily I am continuing my university degree via correspondence that was guaranteed after a 30 day hunger strike by the Ministry of Justice in May 2013. My marks are good and steady despite the lack of internet and source…

The incident of 17th October 2013

21.10.2013

News

On the Association’s blog I have up until now not written much if anything about myself in an attempt to keep the Association’s blog neutral and equal for all issues and prisoners in Bulgaria and specifically Sofia Central Prison. However, I have done this as the expense of not reporting the prisons attacks against myself for my unionism and solidarity with other prisoners, in an attempt to reform the corrupt prison administration, however on Thursday 17th of October an incident…

News from September 2013

11.09.2013

News

Illegal Immigrants On Thursday the 5/9/2013 a Syrian man convicted to a year in maximum security prison for illegal border crossing was pardoned by the President of Bulgaria. Normally this would be a time of celebration and joy; however it has infuriated all the other illegal immigrants that are left in maximum security Sofia Central Prison. On Friday the 6/9/2013 about 40 illegal immigrants held a meeting in the prison’s yard during their scheduled time allowance, at first the prisoners…

Bulgaria needs a strong government that…

11.08.2013

News

Bulgaria needs a strong government that can push through reforms… Prison Guards Shift Change From all the complaints from the prison guards, the bureaucracy has won again. The old shift time table has been reinstated and the guards are now working 24hour shifts again. This is typical of such a weak government that they crumble under the pressure from the guards despite it being a reasonable and recommended reform to reduce the amount of hours work by prison guards. One unforseen…