BHC and three other NGOs file position statement on a draft law introducing independent investigation of the Chief Prosecutor

On 10 January 2023, together with three other NGOs we submitted a joint statement (published in Bulgarian here) on a draft law amending the Criminal Procedure Code, submitted by the Council of Ministers on 30 December 2022.

We supported the bill because it is an important step towards introducing independent investigation of the Chief Prosecutor as prescribed by the European Court of Human Rights in its judgment in the case of Kolevi v. Bulgaria.

With our statement, we supported the introduction of a single instance judicial review of all refusals of the prosecution to initiate criminal proceedings and expressed to the MPs our concern that the Chief Prosecutor still does not comply with his obligation to publish all his acts on the website of the Prosecutor's Office.

We also criticized the poor introduction of the crime of torture in Bulgarian criminal law and recommended improving the proposed regulation.