site.btaSyrian Man Gets 20-Year Prison Sentence for Death of Two Police Officers

A Syrian man received a prison sentence of 20 years with for the death of two police officers. The ruling by the Burgas Regional Court came Friday after nearly two-and-a-half years of trial.

On August 25, 2022, Omar Adnan was driving a bus that collided with a police car, killing both police officers on the spot. In the bus were 47 illegal migrants. Before the fatal incident in Burgas, Adnan was chased by police after ignoring their order to stop. As he entered Burgas, he accelerated the bus to over 85 kmph and crashed into a police patrol car.

On Thursday, before the final pleas in the case, the relatives of the deceased and the prosecutors requested a life sentence without parole for Adnan. On Friday, both the plaintiffs and the prosecutors said that they would appeal the sentence. They have 15 days to do so. According to the panel of judges, the sentence of 20 years of imprisonment is sufficiently severe for the committed crime.

Adnan's lawyer said that the court had correctly taken into account several mitigating circumstances. "I will discuss with my client and we will decide whether to appeal," he stated.