The Plovdiv Court of Appeals is considering behind closed doors whether to keep a 15-year-old boy in custody over the alleged killing of 37-year-old Georgi Kuzev on Mladezhki Hill. The teenager, identified as Hristiyan D., has asked for a lighter measure so he can return home, while protesters gathered outside the courthouse demanded severe punishment for those accused of the killing.
Hristiyan was arrested and charged a week ago together with two other 17-year-old boys. Their arrests brought the total number of students facing charges over Kuzev's death to eight, including six boys and two girls.
Kuzev died in hospital after passers-by found him in a helpless condition on August 4 and called emergency services at 5:29 p.m. He was taken to hospital with a serious head injury, multiple fractures and internal injuries. Despite doctors' efforts, he died several hours later.
Police initially detained around 10 young people. Five of them, three boys and two girls aged between 14 and 17, were initially charged. They come from Plovdiv, Stara Zagora and the village of Stroevo. On August 7, the Plovdiv District Court ordered all five to remain in custody.
The lawyers representing the two girls, 17-year-old Mihaela from Stara Zagora and 15-year-old Victoria from Plovdiv, appealed the detention orders, but the appellate court upheld the measures.
