Bulgaria's Court Finds 13 Imams Guilty

Bulgaria's Pazadrzhik regional court found all 13 imams guilty of propagating anti-democratic ideology. 

The court imposed one effective sentenced, two suspended sentences. The effective four-year sentence has handed down to Ahmed Musa Ahmed, while Said Mtulu and Pazardzhik's regional mufti Abdullah Salih received suspended sentenced. The remaining 10 religious leaders were fined BGN 5000 each. All were accused of membership in the unregistered in Bulgaria radical religious organization Al Waqf Al Islami. Three of the imams were also indicted for propagating hatred based on religion, but this accusation was later dropped.

The trial of the Islam religious leaders started in September 2012. 

They were accused of propagating anti-democratic ideology against the principles of the division of powers by imposing Shariah law in Bulgaria, thus threatening the national security.