Varna court increases murder sentence for Syrian national

The Varna Appellate Court has increased the prison sentence of a 21-year-old Syrian national, Mahmud A., from 11 to 13 years for the intentional murder of his compatriot, Yusef Ya.

The incident occurred on February 12, 2025, in Varna. The two men, who were co-workers living in residential containers and held humanitarian status in Bulgaria, were involved in a dispute involving insults directed at family honor. Mahmud A. stabbed the victim three times in the chest and neck, severing the carotid artery, which led to rapid death.

The defense argued for a reduced sentence, claiming the act was committed in a state of extreme irritation caused by the victim's insults. However, the appellate court ruled that the defendant acted with direct intent. While acknowledging the insults within their cultural and religious context, the court found insufficient evidence to establish a state of physiological affect. The heirs of the deceased were awarded 291,210 euros in non-pecuniary damages.