site.btaUPDATED Organized Crime Control Officer, Charged with Spying for Russia, Released into House Arrest

The Sofia City Court on Thursday released into house arrest a man who was arrested on February 5 and has been charged with spying for Russia. He was ordered to wear a monitoring leg bracelet.

The man, Georgi Karakolev, was on the staff of the Interior Ministry's General Directorate Combating Organized Crime. Prosecutor Angel Kanev, who supervises the pre-trial proceedings, said on Wednesday that Karakolev had passed "sensitive information" of Bulgarian and partner services and agencies to a representative of Russia's intelligence services.

The Court determined that while it can be reasonably assumed that Karakolev committed the offence with which he has been charged, there is no reason of him absconding and he has to take care of his sick wife and three underage children.

The Court's ruling is not final and is appealable by both the defence and the prosecutor. The hearing was held behind closed doors because the case records include classified material.