Bulgaria: Improved protection from violence against women and domestic violence.
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Strasbourg, 20 May 2022 – In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria published today, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović called on the Bulgarian authorities to improve the legal and institutional protection of victims of violence against women and domestic violence.
The Commissioner stresses that the requirement of “systematic” violence provided by the Criminal Code in respect of offences committed in the context of domestic violence must be repealed without delay. “I am particularly concerned that the requirement of “systematic” violence not only exposes victims of domestic violence to serious risks, but also limits the possibilities to sanction perpetrators and sends a dangerous message to society that domestic violence is acceptable”, writes the Commissioner.
In addition, the Commissioner reiterated her previous recommendations to the Bulgarian authorities to urgently address the severe lack of support services for victims of domestic violence and to take further measures to promote equality between women and men, including through awareness raising, training and education to fight sexist prejudices.
Read the Commissioner’s letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Bulgaria
Read the reply of the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria
Press contact: Gaëlle Bausson – gaelle.bausson@coe.int – +33 (0)6 66 27 24 41 Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Communication unit : press.commissioner@coe.int
The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent, non-judicial institution within the Council of Europe, mandated to promote awareness of, and respect for, human rights in the 46 member states of the Organisation. Elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the present Commissioner, Ms Dunja Mijatović, took up her function on 1 April 2018.