(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is greatly alarmed by the 28 June 1999 assault on journalist Alexei Lazarov in Sofia. **Updates IFEX alerts of 29 June 1999 and 11 May 1998** Lazarov, a media reporter for the popular independent weekly “Kapital”, was attacked outside his home at approximately 1 a.m. (local time) by three unidentified assailants armed […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is greatly alarmed by the 28 June 1999 assault on
journalist Alexei Lazarov in Sofia.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 29 June 1999 and 11 May 1998**
Lazarov, a media reporter for the popular independent weekly “Kapital”, was
attacked outside his home at approximately 1 a.m. (local time) by three
unidentified assailants armed with knives and clubs. He suffered numerous
abrasions and a broken leg, yet none of his personal belongings were taken.
Assuming it would take too long for the ambulance to arrive, Lazarov decided
to drive himself to the hospital. During a two and a half hour operation,
doctors implanted a metal plate in the joint of his right leg. He spent
nearly three weeks in hospital and is still recuperating from the attack.
The assault appears to have been connected to Lazarov’s journalism. In late
June, he published an article analyzing local media coverage of the
privatization of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC). The piece
criticized deputy prime minister Evgenii Bakardzhiev, who oversaw the
privatization process, for repeatedly misleading the public and the press
regarding the expected completion date for the project.
The article followed a series of others in “Kapital” that accused
Bakardzhiev of favoritism in his selection of potential buyers for the
company. According to Lazarov, Bakardzhiev was incensed by the charges. In a
detailed account of the attack, published in the 3 July edition of
“Kapital”, editor Ivo Prokopiev also highlighted the tense relationship
between Bakardzhiev and the newspaper as a possible reason for the attack.
CPJ understands that President Petar Stoyanov’s government has enlisted the
support of the Bulgarian National Combat Service against Organized Crime in
investigating the attack. CPJ is hopeful that this will lead to the prompt
capture and arrest of the assailants.
However, CPJ is dismayed that the 11 May 1998 attack against Anna Zarkova, a
journalist from the daily “Trud”, is still unresolved. Zarkova had received
numerous threats for her coverage of organized crime and political
corruption in Bulgaria. Last spring, a group of unknown assailants threw
acid at her. Zarkova survived, but has spent the last year undergoing a
painful series of treatments to repair her damaged skin. The sight in her
left eye will never be fully restored.
The only suspect in the case was recently acquitted. The inability of the
Bulgarian criminal justice system to find and prosecute her assailant raises
serious questions about the country’s commitment to press freedom.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
international norms of press freedom
including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Bulgaria has pledged to
guarantee that journalists can freely and safely pursue their profession
those responsible to justice
Appeals To
His Excellency Petar Stoyanov
President of the Republic of Bulgaria
Office of the President
Veliko Narodno Subraine
Sofia 1000
Fax: +359 2 875 601 / +359 2 822 574
E-mail: president@president.bg
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
