site.btaUPDATED Court Leaves MP Dzheyhan Ibryamov in Custody

The Sofia City Court decided here on Saturday to leave MP Dzheyhan Ibryamov in custody, who was arrested on Wednesday in Sofia for vote-buying. The court's decision is appealable before a higher-instance court.

According to the court's reasoning, there is sufficient evidence in the case to support the reasonable assumption that Ibryamov committed the crime with which he is charged. Judge Ivan Stoilov pointed out that there was no danger that the accused would abscond, but accepted that there was a danger that he might commit a crime.

Ibryamov's lawyers did not comment on the court's ruling.

Ivaylo Petrov, the supervising prosecutor in the case, told journalists that Ibryamov's charge is for influence peddling, and he confirmed that there is evidence in the investigation of vote-buying in the upcoming and past elections.

Petrov confirmed that BGN 100,000 were found in Ibryamov's posession. He had asked for BGN 200,000. One part of the money was in the inside pocket of his jacket, while another part was in a paper envelope he was holding in his hands, the prosecutor explained, adding that the bills were marked.

According to the prosecutor, Ibryamov is currently exercising his right to not provide explanations. Detailed testimony was given by witness Miroslav Todorov.

Earlier in the day, the Sofia City Court ruled that the court session to review the prosecution service's request for a detention order against Dzheyhan Ibryamov will be held behind closed doors due to information in the case file that could be classified as matter of national security, which covers the characteristics of a State secret.

Ahmed Dogan, the Honorary Chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and top-of-the-list candidate of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms in Razgrad and Kardzhali, came out to a protest on Saturday against Ibryamov's detention. The suspect's wife, Birshen Ibryamova, declared a hunger strike until his release. 

On Wednesday, Dzheyhan Ibryamov, MP of the 50th National Assembly, was detained and his home was searched, BTA learned from his lawyer, Yordan Kirov. Ibryamov is the top-of-the-list candidate of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms coalition in the 30th multi-member constituency in Shumen for the snap parliamentary elections on October 27.

National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan and the Central Election Commission authorized the lifting of Dzheyhan Ibryamov's immunity as an MP and a candidate for MP, following a request from the prosecutor's office to indict him.