Lack of cooperation from Afghanistan halts trial against migrant smugglers

The legal trial of the deaths of 18 refugees who died of suffocation in a truck found near the Sofia village of Lokorsko in February 2023 cannot begin. The reason is the lack of a response from the embassy in Afghanistan. It is not clear when the trial will be able to start, BGNES reports.

Migrants die of suffocation in truck near Sofia, 34 people are in hospitalSeven arrested over truck with 18 dead migrants

The court will try to find the relatives of the deceased through the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the incident on February 17, 2023, another 34 young men from Afghanistan were found near the truck with the 18 dead. Dehydrated, wet and freezing, they were admitted to hospitals.

Six Bulgarian citizens are accused of human trafficking crimes, one of whom has already died and the case against him has been discontinued.

Traffickers go to court over deaths of 18 migrants in truck

English publication: R. Petkova