site.btaCourt Orders Indefinite Custody for Afghan Who Burned Bulgarian Flag

Court Orders Indefinite Custody for Afghan Who Burned Bulgarian Flag

Sofia, November 27 (BTA) - The Specialized Court has ordered indefinite custody for an Afghan man who was arrested on Thursday after burning a Bulgarian national flag during unrest at a migrant registration and reception centre in the southern town of Harmanli. He also threw a stone at a policeman.

Bahir Yarunal, 20, crossed the Bulgarian border illegally on his way to Serbia, his final destination being France. He was arrested and was denied refugee status on November 22.

The riot in Harmanli was prompted by temporary restrictions on free movement outside the centre early this week after local people voiced fear of epidemics. Protesting migrants vandalized the canteen and the reception centre and broke windows. Twenty-four policemen were injured.

It was announced on Saturday that there was no risk of a spread of epidemic diseases from the migrant centre.

On Sunday, Haskovo Regional Governor Stanislav Dechev informed Prime Minister Boyko Borissov that the nearly three-kilometre fence around the compound would be strengthened until December 1.

Razor wire will be installed on the fence, including on the reinforced concrete wall along the main street of Harmanli.

Dechev said the situation in the migrant centre was calm.

Interviewed by Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the centre's Director Dimiter Zahariev said the riot was prompted by the migrants' reluctance to stop there and in Bulgaria as they want to reach Western Europe.

Zahariev said there was a difference between Afghan and Syrian migrants. "Syrians did not get involved in the unrest, they were against it happening," he said.

He recalled that people of different nationalities and religions are accommodated separately as is required by the law.

BNR correspondent Dora Atanassova said the local people of Harmanli were divided: some want the camp closed down and are ready to stage more protests, while others are glad it will become a family-type centre for Syrians only.

Most people in Harmanli differentiate between Afghan and Syrian migrants and say that after the unrest, Afghans are not welcome to the reception centre.