The Sofia Court of Appeals confirmed the decision of the Sofia City Court (SCC) and ruled on a preventive measure "detention in custody" for the defendants Krasimir Aleksiev and Rosen Ivanov, associated with the "Kalashniki" group, BTA reports. The SCC ruling is correct, motivated and lawful, the court ruled. Both defendants are charged with serious intentional crimes, punishable by imprisonment. The two are accused of threats, coercion, ransom demand, illegal imprisonment, etc. The decision is not subject to appeal.
The prosecution insisted on upholding the decision of the Sofia City Court. According to the state prosecution, there is a very high degree of public danger for both of them.
The defense attorneys of the accused Aleksiev requested a lighter measure of detention. According to the lawyers, the Sofia City Court uncritically accepted the qualification of his act and they asked that the measure of detention be different from “detention in custody“ or that no measure be issued. According to them, Aleksiev will not go into hiding, he often speaks to the media and is well-known, has a family and children.
Ivanov's defense indicated that the Sofia City Court did not analyze the circumstances, but accepted the premise that there is a danger that he will commit a crime if he is not detained in custody. According to the defense, there is no evidence whatsoever that Ivanov influenced witnesses. His previous conviction does not apply to a crime against the person. There is no evidence that Ivanov is a person of high public danger, the defense also said and requested a lighter measure of detention.
The accused Aleksiev said that he has been unemployed for three months, and before that he was the manager of a car wash and a car service. He asked the court to impose a lighter measure of detention on him. The accused Ivanov, who said that he repairs cars, also asked the court for a lighter measure, since he takes care of his family.