Bulgarian LEAP member Asya Mandzhukova wrote to the European Commission to complain about the lack of transposition and repeated violations of the EU Presumption of Innocence Directive by several Bulgarian authorities including the Prosecutor’s Office.

The letter sets out a series of examples of the Prosecutor’s practice of making public announcements relating to guilt during the criminal investigations, when suspects are entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Despite everyone having the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, public statements of guilt, media coverage presenting the suspect as though they are guilty, and the use of restraints continue to be a problem across Europe and the world. This was one key finding of Fair Trials' report published last year: “Innocent until proven guilty?”.

Read the full letter.