Vietnam transfers 2 Bulgarian criminals to their home country

The Ministry of Public Security on August 8 handed over two offenders namely Dimitar Tsankov Hristov and Kolin Krasimirov Kolev (both are Bulgarian nationality) to a working group of the Ministry of Justice of the Bulgarian Republic at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City.

Representatives of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam discussed with the officials from the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice.

Dimitar Tsankov Hristov (32) and offender Kolin Krasimirov Kolev (28) were sentenced to 7 and 5 years in prison respectively by the High People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City for using computer networks, telecommunications networks, internet networks or digital technology to perform acts of illegally appropriating property, according to appellate criminal judgment No. 190/2017 / HSPT dated April 25, 2017, which says the imprisonment starts from May 1, 2016.

After being sent to the Thu Duc Prison in Binh Thuan Province, the offenders have filed petitions to the MPS of Vietnam and the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Vietnam requesting to serve their sentences in their home country. 

The Ministry of Public Security has cooperated with the competent authorities of Vietnam to conduct the procedures to transfer the prisoners to the Bulgarian side. Since there Vietnam and Bulgaria have not yet signed a deal on transfer of sentenced persons, the transfer of these prisoners was carried out on principle of reciprocity in international relations.

At the transfer reception, representatives of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam asked the Bulgarian authorities to create the favourable conditions for the prisoners, ensure their legal rights and benefits and enjoy the leniency under the Bulgarian laws, and regularly report the situation of the offenders to the Ministry of Public Security.

The Bulgarian officials thanked the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam for their supports and appreciated how the Vietnamese authorities had guaranteed legitimate rights and interests of Bulgarian expats in Vietnam, including those violating the Vietnamese laws.

The successful transfer of the two prisoners has demonstrated the humanitarian policy of the Party and State of Vietnam, saying that Vietnam always respects and protects human rights, especially the rights of convicted persons.