Victim

Full reference to Articles 74–75 of the Bulgarian Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) concerning the status of a victim (injured party) in criminal proceedings, available protection measures, procedural rights, and privacy guarantees.

Who is a “Victim” under the CPC

A victim is a natural person who has suffered property or non-property damage from a criminal offense. A legal entity that has suffered property damage is treated as an injured legal person and may participate to claim compensation.

Core Procedural Rights (Art. 74 CPC)

• Right to counsel — to retain an attorney at any stage; to consult counsel before statements are given.
• Right to be informed — to receive timely information on one’s rights and on the progress of the case, including acts affecting the victim’s interests.
• Right to submit evidence — to present documents, objects, and to request investigative actions.
• Right to participate — attendance at procedural actions where permitted by law; to make motions and objections.
• Right to appeal — to challenge refusals to initiate proceedings, discontinuances, and other acts that infringe rights and legitimate interests.
• Right to protection — to request immediate protection measures when there is risk to life, health, freedom, or property (including under the Witness Protection Act).
• Right to translation/interpretation — if the victim does not understand Bulgarian, free interpretation is provided for procedural acts concerning the victim.

Additional Rights in Court

• Private Prosecutor — the victim may participate as a private prosecutor in offenses prosecuted by the public prosecutor, supporting the indictment.
• Civil Claim (Civil Plaintiff) — the victim (or heirs) and injured legal entities may bring a civil claim for damages within the criminal case and be constituted as civil plaintiffs.

Privacy and Confidentiality (Art. 75 CPC)

• Authorities must ensure respect for the victim’s private life and dignity during all procedural actions.
• Information enabling identification or exposing sensitive details is restricted where the interests of the victim so require or where special protection is ordered.
• Questioning should be conducted so as to avoid secondary victimization; special arrangements are available for vulnerable victims.

Protection Measures

Depending on risk, competent authorities may order measures such as restricted access to personal data in records, non-disclosure of address or workplace, questioning via audio-video link, police protection, or inclusion in a specialized witness-protection program.

This section mirrors the canonical Bulgarian text and cites Articles 74–75 CPC, maintaining one-to-one structure and terminology.

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