25-year-old Student Killed for „looking like a gay“

Alert DateOctober 1, 2008 Country: Bulgaria Address: Sofia, Bulgaria General Type: Racist violence Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence, Homophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Bulgarian
Victims Gender Male
Victims Age 18-25
Victims Number 1
Fatalities - deaths 1
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Bulgarian
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age 18-25
Perpetrators Number 2
Extremist/Organised Group Violence Yes

On 01.10.2008, the 25-year-old Mihail Stoyanov was found beaten to death by two alleged skinheads for „looking like being a gay“. The two prepatrators were said to be a part of a group aiming to „clear“ one of Sofia’s largest parks of gay people. The police announced officially that it solved the case in 2010 but no information about a sentence is available by the end of 2011. During the investigation several other incidents of aggression against „gay-like“ people in that park were reported.
The incident provoked protests in Sofia against the stereotypes in the Bulgarian society and the manifestation of hate against LGBT people. The protesters called for strict prosecution of such crimes.

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