In 2014, progress on human rights in Bulgaria stalled in most areas, while repeated and serious violations were observed in others. This situation is outlined in the annual report of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC).

The gravest and most widespread violations are related to the living conditions and treatment of children in institutions, the situation in places of detention including juvenile justice, the independence of the judiciary, the discrimination against ethnic and sexual minorities and against foreigners.

As in previous years, there are serious problems with the right of religious freedom of Muslim persons and followers of other religions, as well as with the independence of the media. There are several important cases of cruel and discriminatory treatment of women.

One can find some positive developments in the judicial system and the reception conditions of asylum seekers and refugees in Bulgaria.

The main human rights issues in Bulgaria in 2014:

• Children are often unlawfully or arbitrarily deprived of liberty, sometimes for long periods of time in unacceptable conditions.
• During the year, researchers in BHC's Monitoring and Research program revealed a frightful record of violence and abuse against children in detention.
• Overcrowding, outdated material conditions, obsolete penal policy, the absence of resocialization policy and high levels of corruption in the administration in the majority of prisons continue to be major problems of the penitentiary system.
• No significant progress in the reform of the judicial system in Bulgaria and the ensuing independence of the judiciary.
• The prosecution failed to investigate promptly, objectively and effectively serious human rights violations such as hate crimes, vandalism of religious temples and attacks against members of religious non-Orthodox denominations.
• Censorship and pressure on media and journalists, self-censorship, strong economic and political dependence of the media and the failure of basic ethical journalistic rules has made it so that freedom of expression in Bulgaria appears to be slowly eroding.

BHC has published its annual report since 1993.