Bulgarian high court confirms jail sentence for man who assaulted Ahmed Dogan
Bulgaria’s Supreme Court of Cassation ruled to uphold the sentence given to Oktai Enimehmedov, the man seen pointing a gas pistol at the head of Ahmed Dogan at a Movement for Rights and Freedoms congress on January 19 2013, of three and a half years in jail for threatening to murder Dogan.
The high court, which was the court of final appeal in this matter, issued its ruling on April 20 2015.
In February, prosecutors dropped their charge of attempted murder, after two lower-instance courts found Enimehmedov innocent on this count.
The incident at the MRF congress, where founder and veteran party leader Dogan announced that he was stepping down from the party leadership, made headlines around the world because footage was captured on live television of the moments as Enimehmedov appeared pointing the firearm, before being brought down and seriously assaulted by a group of MRF people on stage.
At the first hearing of his case in the Supreme Court of Cassation, Enimehmedov argued that he should be acquitted on charges of threatening to murder Dogan because his actions were meant to “raise people’s spirits” and asked to be awarded the country’s highest honours, the Stara Planina. His defence has also asked for a reduced sentence, the report said.
(The bizarre incident at the MRF congress overshadowed the implication for domestic politics – that Dogan, founder and long-time leader of the MRF, handed over the post of party leader to his deputy, Lyutvi Mestan. Screenshot via Bulgarian National Television)
