Detention appeals to be allowed at two levels under new code changes

Bulgaria's parliamentary legal affairs committee has approved significant amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which will introduce new avenues for challenging detention orders. The proposed changes, passed during a second reading, will allow individuals detained by prosecutors for up to 72 hours to appeal the decision.

This new provision aims to provide an additional layer of judicial oversight in cases of pre-trial detention. Previously, such decisions were harder to contest. The amendments stipulate that appeals against a prosecutor's order for a 72-hour detention can be lodged with two separate judicial instances, offering a more robust mechanism for reviewing the legality and necessity of such measures.

The committee's approval marks a step forward in reforming the country's legal framework, potentially enhancing defendants' rights and ensuring greater accountability in the use of detention powers by prosecutors. The specific details of how these appeals will be processed and the scope of review at each instance are expected to be further clarified as the legislation progresses.