Russia calls on the Bulgarian authorities to end the criminal prosecution against representatives of the national movement "Rusophiles", the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said at a press conference, commenting on the arrest in Plovdiv of the chairman of the local branch of the movement, Zlatomir Devlensky. TASS reported, quoted by BTA.
As previously reported by BTA, during an operation by the Territorial Directorate of National Security - the city of Plovdiv together with the District Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv, on July 8, two persons were detained, suspected of disseminating information representing a state secret.
The District Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv is monitoring the pre-trial proceedings, as the subject of the investigation in the case concerns the possible disclosure of information representing a state secret – crime under Art. 357 par. 1 of the NC.
The very next day, the two detainees were released on BGN 5,000 bail. The suspects are the chairman of the National Movement "Rusophiles" - Plovdiv, as well as a former employee of the State Agency "National Security" (DANS), accused of divulging a state secret. This was announced by the District Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv.
The accused spent 24 hours in custody. They are also prohibited from leaving the country.
If found guilty, the two could face 2 to 8 years in prison.
"Unproven accusations of espionage have been leveled against activists of the national movement "Russophiles" and before", said Zakharova and added: "We call on the Bulgarian authorities to remain within the framework of the legal order and to desist from persecuting their citizens on the basis of trumped-up and unfounded accusations".
In the words of the spokeswoman, such actions by the Bulgarian authorities, which declare themselves to be a democratic social order, demonstrate only "disrespect for human rights and freedoms, including the right to freedom of speech".