Journalist Dimitar Stoyanov is facing two charges and is being released from custody for BGN 5,000

The Sofia district confirmed the arrest warrant for BIRD.BG journalist Dimitar Stoyanov, but ordered that he be released from jail immediately, BNT and bTV reported.

Stoyanov was detained yesterday after a NRA official called the police that the journalist had threatened him with a gun.

The report was filed at 6 p.m. yesterday at the Fifth Police Station. Urgent pre-trial proceedings have been instituted. In the course of it, it was established that on “Vasil Petleshkov” street in the capital, the accused Dimitar Stoyanov threatened to kill 40-year-old P.L. by pointing a combat pistol at his head. The threat aroused legitimate fear in the man.

Dimitar Stoyanov was brought by the Fifth District Office to the Sofia District Court in handcuffs. The defense asked that the detention order be lifted.

“This is pure self-defense. Dimitar Stoyanov could have made a different decision. He could have hurt his opponent with his arms and legs, as he is a long-time national kickboxing and karate competitor. Instead, he made a decision that is completely legal – he demonstrated, that he has a weapon and is ready to use it,” the journalist’s lawyer Nikolay Khadzhigenov explained to BNT.

In the courtroom, Dimitar Stoyanov told his own version of what happened. According to him, he was attacked around 5 pm yesterday for no reason by an unknown man. First with insulting words, and then he tried to hit the journalist. The situation escalated when the man, who turned out to be a NRA employee, showed aggression towards Stoyanov’s wife. He then pulled out his legally owned gun and issued a warning. It became clear in the hall that the detainees were tested for drugs and alcohol, which were negative. No such tests were performed on the tax official.

The prosecutor’s office announced that so far in the course of the investigation, witnesses have been questioned and Dimitar Stoyanov’s home has been searched, during which two combat pistols and a carbine were found and seized. A supervising prosecutor has given instructions for the preparation of three expertises – video-technical, ballistic and forensic-medical.

Later, the Ministry of the Interior specified that the journalist was charged with hooliganism and threatening to kill, and a measure of remand was imposed on him “cash guarantee” in the amount of BGN 5,000.

It was established that Dimitar Stoyanov’s actions were obscene, grossly violating public order and expressing clear disrespect for society, as, in addition to pulling out a combat pistol in a public place, he also inflicted numerous blows with his feet and hands on the head and body of 40-year-old P.L. The accused made many insulting remarks about the man, threatening to “break his head in,” the state prosecution added.

The executive director of the NRA, Rumen Spetsov, also reacted to what happened. In a statement sent to the media, he calls for zero tolerance for aggression and urges the case not to be politicized. Spetsov states that he firmly stands behind his employees and reminds that the agency’s activities are part of national security and it is unacceptable for its employees to become the object of threats.

“Given the emerging interpretations of the case, we clarify that the police fulfill their responsibilities and tasks according to law, regardless of the social, professional and other affiliation of those involved in a given situation,” the interior department is categorical.