Civil Coalition "Citizens Against Hatred" to file lawsuit against Volen Siderov

86 organisations will file a civil lawsuit against the leader of the Ataka [Attack] Coalition Volen Siderov for incitement to hatred under the Protection from Discrimination Act. The lawsuit has been initiated by the Civil Coalition “Citizens Against Hatred” established by the film director Georgi Djulgerov, writer Dimitar Bochev, political scientist Evgenii Dainov, satirist Yordan Popov, literary critic Mihail Nedelchev, writers Teodora Dimova and Dimitar Bochev, and political scientist Antoni Todorov.

The organizations and individuals, on whose behalf the lawsuit will be filed, are active in the field of human rights, women’s rights, ecology, healthcare, disability rights, media. The coalition also includes individuals with minority background. According to the coaltion members, Siderov’s speeches during his pre-election campaign and his subsequent speeches in parliament, as well as his appearances on the SKAT television network, constitute incitement to discrimination, harassment and derogation of their prestige.

The civil lawsuit will be filed on 7 December. “The action is not financial. Its goal is to protect the rights of the concerned individuals and to restrict speech that propagates division,” said the coalition’s attorney, Margarita Ilieva.

The coalition’s Bulgarian-language site contains a list of the coalition member organisations and individuals.

List of organisations and individuals from the Civil Coalition "Citizens Against Hatred"

The initiative is supported by the following individuals:

Initiative Committee

Evgeniy Dainov, political scientist
Georgi Lozanov, media expert
Mihail Nedelchev, literary critic
Yordan Popov, Starshel newspaper
Georgi Djulgerov, film director
Alexander Kjosev, literary theoretician
Georgi Mishev, writer Theodora Dimova, writer
Dimitar Bochev, writer
Antoni Todorov, political scientist

Dimitar Gochev, former judge at the European Court of Human Rights, former Constitutional Court judge
Yulian Popov, higher education expert
Margarita Mladenova, SFUMATO theatre director
Lili Deyanova, sociologist, Sofia University
Theodor Dechev, Institute for Business Initiative
Denis Pehlivanov, pediatrician, Doctors Without Borders
Yulii Stoyanov, film director
Doichin Boyanov, mountain climber
Boyan Petrov, mountain climber Vihren Chernokozhev
Evgeniya Ivanova, antropologist
Albena Borissova, journalist
Albena Shkodrova, journalist, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
Alexander Andreev, journalist, Deutsche Welle Radio
Georgi Papakochev, Evgeniya Valcheva, New Europe Radio
Evgeniya Valcheva
Valentin Hadjiiski Neli Hadjiiska
Yana Domuschieva
Emil Cohen, sociologist
Svetoslava Tadarakova, journalist

The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the following organisations and individuals:

Women’s rights organisations

Bulgarian Association of University Women
Centre for Research and Women’s Policies, Sofia
Puls Foundation, Pernik
Kamala Alternative Centre for Individual Development, Vratsa

Organisations for children’s rights, social protection and education

National Network for Children
Samaritan Association, Stara Zagora
Alternative 11, Shumen
Knowledge Association, Sofia

Organisations of people with disabilities

Center for Independent Living
National Association of University Students and Young People with Disabilities
Horizons Foundation, Sofia
Equality National Association for Human Rights of People with Disabilities
Free to Choose Association, Stara Zagora

Reformist organizations

Partners Bulgaria Foundation
Local Government Reform Foundation
Centre for Assistance to Victims of Torture - ACET
Access Foundation
Bulgarian Institute for Legal Development
Institute for the Principles of Law
Step by Step Programme
Centre for Social Practices
Institute for Liberal Studies
SEGA Foundation
Satirik Foundation
Resource Centre Foundation
Youth Accociation for Peace and Development on the Balkans
Integro Association, Sofia
Institute for Social Policy and Social Work
Citizens Foundation
Bulgarian Political Sciences Association
European Law Centre
Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
Human Rights Centre, Karlovo
Association for European Integration and Human Rights
Eurointegration Association, Varna
Bulgarian Legal Society
Mizia 2004 Association, Mizia
Support for the Integration of Minorities Association
NGO Center, Razgrad
ELSA European Association of Law Students, Varna
Association for Protection of Religious Freedoms
Krug Youth Centre Foundation
NGO Centre Kardjali

Environmental organisations

Ecocommunity Foundation

Journalistic and information associations

Bulgaria Media Coalition
Radio Net Foundation
Internet Rights Bulgaria Foundation

Physicians’ and healthcare organisations

Health Initiative Foundation
Health and Social Development Foundation, Sofia
Health Problems of the Minorities Foundation
Health for Roma Foundation

Organisations of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities

Turkish Cultural Centre of the 21st Century
Shalom Organisation of the Jews in Bulgaria
B’Nei B’rit
Jewish Women’s Organisation
Navrez Tatar Association
ASABAI Association of the Crimena Tatars in Bulgaria
Development Foundation for Multi-ethnic Cooperation, Pazardjik
Roma Democratic Union
Stolipinovo Coalition of Civic Organisations
Development Community Centre, Razlog
Savore Foundation, Samokov
Roma World Foundation
Drom Organisation, Vidin
Equal Access Foundation
Amalipe Centre for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance
Roma Youth Organisation, Sliven
United Roma Union, Sliven
Roma Foundation, Lom
Djanglipe Association, Vidin
Tolerance and Mutual Help Foundation, Haskovo
United Roma Union, Haskovo
Lozenets Foundation, Stara Zagora
Romani Baht Association, Samokov
Roma Media Centre
Europe Roma Confederation
St. George National Roma Centre Association, Sofia
Neve Droma Foundation, Shumen
Social Protection for Roma in Bulgaria Foundation
Bulgarian Gay Organisation Gemini
Queer Bulgaria Foundation
Union of Seventh Day Adventist Churches
United God’s Church
Sofia Christian Centre at the United God’s Churches Alliance

Individuals with minority belonging

Ivan Alexandrov, honorary chair of the Association of the Vlakhs in Bulgaria
Kiril Lambov, composer
Kremena Budinova, journalist
Yuliana Metodieva, journalist
Katrin Gutman, expert “Culture, Education, Ethnic and Demographic Issues”, Plovdiv District Administration
Gabriela Behar, expert “Culture, Education, Ethnic and Demographic Issues”, Plovdiv District Administration
Dim Dukov, coiffeur
Desislaba Petrova
Hristo Mollov
Aksiniya Gencheva

The list was last updated at 5:03 p.m., 01/12/2005