Citizen's arrest

BELGRADE - Milan Radoicic appeared in a hearing before the Higher Public Prosecutor's office in Belgrade on Tuesday on suspicion of committing the criminal offence of association for the purpose of committing criminal offences, the criminal offence of illicit production, possession, carrying and distribution of firearms and explosives and serious criminal offences against general safety.

The regional court in the coastal city of Burgas ruled on Thursday that while the 'citizen's arrest' of the Afghan migrants on April 10, 2016 was undoubtedly illegal, investigators failed to provide sufficient evidence that Nizamov was the perpetrator.

A Bulgarian court on Tuesday acquitted Petar Nizamov, the man who made headlines last year after detaining three Afghan migrants, tying their hands with a plastic strap, of all charges.

Prosecutors had demanded at least 2 years of imprisonment for Nizamov, whose own footage of the citizen's arrests released on Facebook sparked controversy both in Bulgaria and abroad.

More than half of Bulgarians generally approve the idea of volunte?r patrols of citizens detaining migrants who have crossed into the country, an Alpha Research poll shows.

The poll, ordered by private broadcaster NOVA TV, reveals that a total of 54.8% of respondents agree citizen's arrest should be used to deter migrants.

A member of the police in Belgrade has been placed under arrest on suspicion that he committed a crime against migrants from Syria.

The Interior Ministry (MUP) said they were looking for another suspect, also employed by the police.