[REVISION HISTORY]

Bulgarian police detention of activist Gergana Petrova

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 18:22 UTC → 2026-09-05 12:42 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The detention of activist and journalist Gergana Petrova during ~~Prime Minister~~ President Rumen Radev’s visit to Strumyani has triggered a political and legal controversy in Bulgaria regarding police conduct and journalist rights. Authorities from the National Service for Protection (NSO) and the Ministry of Interior alleged that Petrova entered a restricted journalistic zone and failed to provide identification. Petrova has contested these claims, stating she was filming in a public space and that the request for ID was a pretext for her removal. She further alleged that officers used physical force, resulting in bruises and injuries from handcuffs. In response to the incident and subsequent public outcry, ~~Prime Minister~~ President Radev ordered an investigation into the actions of the Ministry of Interior and the NSO to determine if there was an abuse of power. Interior Minister Ivan ~~Demerdzhiev~~ Demerzhiev dismissed the director of the Blagoevgrad Regional MVR Directorate, citing a failure to report the incident promptly and excessive officer actions. The National Security Service (NSS) has issued a statement denying allegations that it restricted access for journalists, describing such claims as “manipulative.” The NSS asserted that Petrova’s behavior “differed significantly from other citizens and journalists” and that she refused to provide a press card. The service maintained that personnel acted “without conflict and strictly professionally.” Following the incident, Petrova vowed to continue her activism, specifically documenting illegal logging in the Pirin region, and stated she would not be intimidated by the Ministry of Interior. Meanwhile, Minister Demerdzhiev Demerzhiev also noted reports that Petrova had been detained in previous years on suspicion of a serious ~~murder, specifically alleging she~~ murder. Petrova has responded by announcing intentions to sue Minister Demerzhiev and the Ministry of Interior. She alleges that his public comments regarding her past investigation constitute defamation, abuse of power, and the disclosure of official or investigative secrets. She claims these statements caused significant non-material damage and is preparing a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights regarding the violation of the presumption of innocence. Records indicate that while Petrova was previously investigated in connection with a ~~suspect~~ 2013 murder, no charges were proven in court and the ~~killing~~ case against an alleged accomplice was terminated in 2015 due to lack of ~~a partner.~~ evidence.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.