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| Jock Palfreeman's fate in balance as Bulgarian prosecutor moves against parole | Jock Palfreeman's fate in balance as Bulgarian prosecutor moves against parole |
| (8 days later) | |
| Jock Palfreeman’s long-awaited liberty appears in serious jeopardy, after an extraordinary last-minute intervention from Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor attempting to send him back to jail. | Jock Palfreeman’s long-awaited liberty appears in serious jeopardy, after an extraordinary last-minute intervention from Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor attempting to send him back to jail. |
| The prosecutor general, Sotir Tsatsarov, made an application on Tuesday to Bulgaria’s supreme court of cassation, the country’s highest court, to revoke Palfreeman’s parole. | The prosecutor general, Sotir Tsatsarov, made an application on Tuesday to Bulgaria’s supreme court of cassation, the country’s highest court, to revoke Palfreeman’s parole. |
| The 32-year-old Palfreeman was granted parole by a panel of three judges last Thursday, after serving 11 years of a 20-year sentence for fatally stabbing a 23-year-old law student, Andrei Monov, in the capital Sofia in 2007. Palfreeman has consistently maintained the murder was committed in self-defence. | The 32-year-old Palfreeman was granted parole by a panel of three judges last Thursday, after serving 11 years of a 20-year sentence for fatally stabbing a 23-year-old law student, Andrei Monov, in the capital Sofia in 2007. Palfreeman has consistently maintained the murder was committed in self-defence. |
| He was being held in immigration detention, awaiting a new Australian passport so he could return home from Bulgaria. Consular officials visited on Monday but without travel documents so he could not leave. Bulgaria has imposed strict conditions on Palfreeman’s release, insisting he be driven straight from the detention centre to a flight out of the country. | He was being held in immigration detention, awaiting a new Australian passport so he could return home from Bulgaria. Consular officials visited on Monday but without travel documents so he could not leave. Bulgaria has imposed strict conditions on Palfreeman’s release, insisting he be driven straight from the detention centre to a flight out of the country. |
| Australian Jock Palfreeman paroled after 11 years in Bulgarian jail | Australian Jock Palfreeman paroled after 11 years in Bulgarian jail |
| The legal validity of the prosecutor general’s action is unclear, but Palfreeman’s lawyer had urged Australia to move him quickly out of the country, saying he was in danger from state authorities. | The legal validity of the prosecutor general’s action is unclear, but Palfreeman’s lawyer had urged Australia to move him quickly out of the country, saying he was in danger from state authorities. |
| “Your [Australian] authority needs to come here, take him with the car and put him on the plane,” Kalin Angelov told the ABC. | “Your [Australian] authority needs to come here, take him with the car and put him on the plane,” Kalin Angelov told the ABC. |
| “Because in this moment of mass hysteria, I think he would be in some sort of danger. Even now I think he is in some sort of danger … from the authorities here.” | “Because in this moment of mass hysteria, I think he would be in some sort of danger. Even now I think he is in some sort of danger … from the authorities here.” |
| Paul “Jock” Palfreeman, from Sydney, has consistently maintained he acted in self-defence in the early hours of 28 December 2007, after intervening to prevent Monov and a group of more than a dozen friends from attacking two Roma men in central Sofia. | Paul “Jock” Palfreeman, from Sydney, has consistently maintained he acted in self-defence in the early hours of 28 December 2007, after intervening to prevent Monov and a group of more than a dozen friends from attacking two Roma men in central Sofia. |
| Palfreeman, then 21, pleaded not guilty to murdering Monov – he was carrying a large butterfly knife belonging to a friend with which he stabbed Monov in the side of his chest – but was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. The conviction and sentence were upheld by higher courts. Palfreeman said he’d been carrying the knife because he’d previously experienced violence in Sofia. | Palfreeman, then 21, pleaded not guilty to murdering Monov – he was carrying a large butterfly knife belonging to a friend with which he stabbed Monov in the side of his chest – but was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. The conviction and sentence were upheld by higher courts. Palfreeman said he’d been carrying the knife because he’d previously experienced violence in Sofia. |
| While his parole has been greeted with elation by his family in Australia – his father, Simon Palfreeman, has said he was overjoyed at the unexpected news of his son’s parole – it has been condemned by senior politicians in Bulgaria, including the dead man’s father. | While his parole has been greeted with elation by his family in Australia – his father, Simon Palfreeman, has said he was overjoyed at the unexpected news of his son’s parole – it has been condemned by senior politicians in Bulgaria, including the dead man’s father. |
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| Andrei Monov’s father Hristo, a former MP for the Bulgarian Socialist party, said the court had made a mockery of Bulgaria’s people. | Andrei Monov’s father Hristo, a former MP for the Bulgarian Socialist party, said the court had made a mockery of Bulgaria’s people. |
| “The three judges … will carry a moral disgrace on their own,” Hristo Monov said. “You see that the biggest problem in this country is the judicial system, and that’s not the prosecution, but the court,” he told Darik Radio. | “The three judges … will carry a moral disgrace on their own,” Hristo Monov said. “You see that the biggest problem in this country is the judicial system, and that’s not the prosecution, but the court,” he told Darik Radio. |
| He said that he wanted to hear the judges explain their decision. | He said that he wanted to hear the judges explain their decision. |
| “I invite them to meet, in front of the media and the whole society, to tell me why.” | “I invite them to meet, in front of the media and the whole society, to tell me why.” |
| Kornelia Ninova, leader of the Bulgarian Socialist party, currently in opposition, said Palfreeman’s early release was a “shame” for the country. | Kornelia Ninova, leader of the Bulgarian Socialist party, currently in opposition, said Palfreeman’s early release was a “shame” for the country. |
| “It is a mockery of the victims, their families, the grief of these people, the sense of justice and retribution. A mockery, a shame, an ugly decision by the Bulgarian court.” | “It is a mockery of the victims, their families, the grief of these people, the sense of justice and retribution. A mockery, a shame, an ugly decision by the Bulgarian court.” |
| Bulgaria’s prime minister, Boyko Borissov, refused to comment directly on the decision, but was obliquely critical. | Bulgaria’s prime minister, Boyko Borissov, refused to comment directly on the decision, but was obliquely critical. |
| “I am the prime minister and I cannot comment on a decision in a Bulgarian court. I’ve never done that. We all know the answer as it is, but I cannot afford to say it,” Borissov told journalists in parliament. | “I am the prime minister and I cannot comment on a decision in a Bulgarian court. I’ve never done that. We all know the answer as it is, but I cannot afford to say it,” Borissov told journalists in parliament. |
| In Australia, Simon Palfreeman said the family was overjoyed but still waiting to get details of the parole conditions. | In Australia, Simon Palfreeman said the family was overjoyed but still waiting to get details of the parole conditions. |
| Jock Palfreeman is the eldest of three brothers who grew up in Sydney. He attended the prestigious St Ignatius College, Riverview, and campaigned on social justice causes as a student, including protests against the Iraq war. | |
| A house master from the school gave a character reference at his trial, saying he was “socially aware and prepared to speak out for what he felt was right”. | A house master from the school gave a character reference at his trial, saying he was “socially aware and prepared to speak out for what he felt was right”. |
| Palfreeman had left Bulgaria for England in late 2007 and joined the British army in November. He had been training at the 1st Battalion Infantry Training Centre but not received any weapons training. He returned to Bulgaria to celebrate Christmas with friends. | Palfreeman had left Bulgaria for England in late 2007 and joined the British army in November. He had been training at the 1st Battalion Infantry Training Centre but not received any weapons training. He returned to Bulgaria to celebrate Christmas with friends. |
| In prison Palfreeman had become a passionate advocate for reform of the prison system and treatment of prisoners. | In prison Palfreeman had become a passionate advocate for reform of the prison system and treatment of prisoners. |
| He told his appeal hearing on Thursday that he will continue his work for prison reform in Bulgaria even if he is deported from the country. | He told his appeal hearing on Thursday that he will continue his work for prison reform in Bulgaria even if he is deported from the country. |
| “If I go out on parole I want to continue my activity as a part of the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association,” he told the court, according to court documents released on Friday. | “If I go out on parole I want to continue my activity as a part of the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association,” he told the court, according to court documents released on Friday. |
| “If I am not released, I will also continue with the reforms of the Bulgarian prison system, so the difference is which side of the fence I will be.” | “If I am not released, I will also continue with the reforms of the Bulgarian prison system, so the difference is which side of the fence I will be.” |
| The court’s ruling found that Palfreeman never posed a risk to anyone in prison and specifically mentioned his work with the BPRA as a factor in his successful application. | The court’s ruling found that Palfreeman never posed a risk to anyone in prison and specifically mentioned his work with the BPRA as a factor in his successful application. |
| “Only very positive information is highlighted in relation to the convicted person, with good communication skills, leadership attitude, tolerance towards others, inquisitive, with expressed interests in various fields, active, initiative, consistent and persistent in realisation of its goals, sensitive and reactive to the social environment, well-meaning and responsive in general, without racial or discriminatory attitudes,” the judges panel said. | “Only very positive information is highlighted in relation to the convicted person, with good communication skills, leadership attitude, tolerance towards others, inquisitive, with expressed interests in various fields, active, initiative, consistent and persistent in realisation of its goals, sensitive and reactive to the social environment, well-meaning and responsive in general, without racial or discriminatory attitudes,” the judges panel said. |
| “His activity in the Bulgarian Prison Association for Rehabilitation, registered by him, is noted. He is noted to be emotionally and socially mature.” | “His activity in the Bulgarian Prison Association for Rehabilitation, registered by him, is noted. He is noted to be emotionally and socially mature.” |
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