Sofia City Court orders Dogan’s attacker to remain in custody
In a ruling on January 29 2013, Sofia City Court ordered Oktai Enimehmedov, the 25-year-old seen pointing a gas pistol at the head of Ahmed Dogan at the Movement and Rights and Freedoms party congress in the Bulgarian capital city on January 19, to remain in custody.
Enimehmedov is facing charges of attempted murder, for which if found guilty he could be jailed for up to six years, and of grave hooliganism, which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
A court ruling on January 22 remanded Enimehmedov in custody after the expiry of the 72-hour detention into which he was placed after the Dogan incident.
Sofia City Court said on January 29 that there was clear evidence of the crimes having been committed and Enimehmedov had seriously disrupted public order through his actions.
Enimehmedov had asked the court to transfer him to house arrest.
He told the court: “We live in a democratic country in which everyone has the right to express their opinion. I do not think I am a threat to society and I do not intend to commit another crime. If I am placed under house arrest, this would be good for my development, because I will be able to finish my education. As to my offence, different cultures entail different values. I believe in Bulgaria’s future. It does not matter that we are a small country, we can still be the best.”
Prosecutors told the court that Enimehmedov was a serious risk to the public, which was evident from his criminal record.
Prosecutor Iliyan Tochev said that he had no information whether Enimehmedov had laid charges against the group of men who seriously assaulted him on stage at the MRF congress. Moments after pointing the gas pistol at Dogan, Enimehmedov was brought down to the ground, and a group of men repeatedly kicked and punched him.
Tochev said that no one should have the wrong impression that the assault of Enimehmedov was not being investigated as well.
