In a 4 February 1998 telephone interview, the chair of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee in Sofia provided the following information, which represents the Committee's viewpoint. The chair has not heard any reports since January 1997 indicating that members of UMO-Ilinden have been charged with, or convicted of, political crimes. However, the chair would not discount the possibility that such events had occurred. A UMO-Ilinden member in the city of Petrich was charged in 1997 with planning to commit violence against a public official. The chair stated that the government may have viewed the alleged planning as a political act, although the UMO-Ilinden member was not charged under the provisions of the criminal code pertaining to political crimes, i.e., crimes against public order and the state.

Additional or corroborating information on whether members of UMO-Ilinden have been charged with, or convicted of, political crimes since January 1997 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Sofia. 4 February 1998. Telephone interview with the chair.

CSCE Digest [Washington].

Electronic sources: IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD (UNHCR database), World News Connection (WNC).

Minority Rights Group International Report [London]. Irregular.

Nationalities Papers [Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK]. Quarterly.

News from Helsinki Watch [New York]. Monthly.

Resource centre country file on Bulgaria.

Transition [Prague]. Twice monthly.

Uncaptive Minds [Washington]. Quarterly.