No Protection, No Reform, No Accountability: Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2024

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) has released its annual report, "Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2024," highlighting political instability, alarming regression in citizens' fundamental rights, and a lack of active institutional engagement in their protection. 

The report's key findings were presented during a public discussion featuring the report's authors and external experts. The publication examines significant events and human rights violations over the past year, providing an in-depth legal and factual analysis of the country's political, institutional, and societal context.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Rights of Individuals with Mental Disorders in Institutions: Krasimir Kanev, Director of the BHC's Monitoring and Research Program, shared observations from visits to state psychiatric hospitals, noting persistent issues such as violence, overcrowding, poor hygiene, outdated facilities, limited access to outdoor spaces, and uninvestigated deaths. A significant concern remains the detention of "social patients"—individuals who no longer require hospitalization but have nowhere else to go—highlighting systemic abuse of personal freedom and a lack of effective community-based social services.

• Judicial Independence: Attorney Adela Kachaunova, BHC Co-Chair and Director of the Legal Defense Program, discussed with Attorney Andrey Yankulov from the Anti-Corruption Fund the series of revelations in 2024 regarding undue influence within the judiciary, the consequences for the rule of law, and future prospects for the system. The report also analyzes constitutional amendments intended to limit the Prosecutor General's power and reform the Supreme Judicial Council, which were blocked by a Constitutional Court decision. Events portraying the judiciary as a tool in political conflicts and the appointment of politically loyal figures to key bodies further undermine trust in its independence.

• Climate Rights: Meglena Antonova, Head of Greenpeace Bulgaria, and Magdalena Maleeva, climate activist and podcast author, presented on climate rights. Despite 2024 being confirmed as the hottest year on record, the climate crisis remained peripheral in Bulgaria's public debate. Issues such as water access and air quality revealed significant institutional shortcomings and lack of accountability. Nevertheless, positive steps included legal actions against polluting coal plants and the establishment of energy communities in several municipalities. 

• Implementation of Key European Digital Regulations: Attorney Julieta Mandazhieva, author of the digital rights chapter, discussed with legal expert and digital content creator Mimi Shishkova Bulgaria's lag in implementing European digital legislation, specifically the Digital Services Act, the Media Freedom Act, and the Regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. There is an increasing risk of disinformation, social media manipulation, and personal data misuse, including Bulgaria-linked political influence campaigns abroad. Despite serious security breaches, institutions have not demonstrated a willingness to prevent or take responsibility.

New Areas of Research

This year’s edition of the report introduces digital rights as a new area of focus, with the intention for this chapter to become a permanent part of future publications. Another addition is a special annex providing an overview of relevant European legislation. This analysis reflects the rapidly evolving regulatory framework within the EU in 2024 and outlines the growing obligations of member states to protect fundamental rights in the context of digitalization, sustainable development, and anti-discrimination.

For the second consecutive year, the report includes a dedicated chapter on climate rights—another topic where global regression has been observed amid escalating crises.

Deterioration in Key Areas of Human Rights

In 2024, further deterioration was observed in other key areas of human rights, with freedom of expression being among the most severely affected. The report documents cases of pressure on journalists, lawsuits and actions by law enforcement agencies against institutional critics, and attempts to restrict access to information in the online space. It also highlights the ongoing trend of institutionalizing disinformation, discriminatory narratives, and hate speech.

Severe attacks on the rights of LGBTI+ individuals were also recorded. In 2024, legal amendments banned the so-called “promotion and propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation” in school and preschool education. At the same time, other restrictive legislative proposals were introduced, targeting public discussions of gender identity. The government failed to implement rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) that found violations of the rights of same-sex couples. There was also an increase in incidents of homophobic violence, met with ineffective institutional responses.

The publication includes findings from the BHC’s monitoring activities conducted under projects supported by the Oak Foundation, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF Bulgaria, and the European Union. The report itself is not an activity funded by these donors.

The report is published with the support of the British Embassy in Bulgaria and the BCause Foundation.

Its content has not been coordinated with the donors and does not reflect their official positions.

The full report is available here in Bulgarian language. A version in English will be available soon.