They don’t have a voice. So why are you silent?

by Demetra Georgieva

On March 14th 2025 the Bulgarian organisation Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry (CAAI) shared a disturbing case on their Instagram profile.

Through careful work with the anti-propaganda organisation BG Elves, an online network for animal cruelty was uncovered in paid pornographic videos.

A couple from the city of Pernik, Gabriela Sashova (26) and Krasimir Georgiev (35), are the perpetrators of the most heinous serial killings of animals that have been documented in the state of Bulgaria so far. They were detained on March 13th during an operation carried out by the General Directorate "National Police" (GDNP) and the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDCOC), under the leadership of the Pernik District Prosecutor’s Office.

The perpetrators have built an international criminal network. Through channels with thousands of subscribers on Telegram, the couple offered videos of the slow and extremely cruel torture of animals, culminating in their death, with pornographic sadistic content. Sashova is the star of these videos – leather-clad, wearing a mask and seductively posing, she would hold down the creatures, cut them, stomp on them, stab and mutilate them, chop them on cutting boards while they struggled to get free, and even spit on their decimated bodies. There are hundreds of hours of recorded content.

Georgiev is also credited in the operation – he would tell Sashova what to do, record her, and procure their paying customers. Investigators warn that he is the mastermind behind their business and that he attempted similar abuses in the past. Among their numerous victims are animals such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and fish. Sashova herself is a pet owner and people have expressed dismay that she was capable of walking her Yorkshire terrier while profiting off the mutilation of other, equally helpless creatures.

The investigation is a massive collaborative effort between different Bulgarian institutions and grassroots organisations. Among them are the Investigation Department and Environmental and Wildlife Crimes Sector at the Economic Police Department at the GDNP and the Cybercrime Directorate of GDCOC.

CAAI first learnt of the case through a contact that remains anonymous to the public for his own safety. The person is a foreign citizen, an animal lover and a Muslim who believes cats are holy. When he saw the videos, he was deeply disturbed. He tried to contact different international organisations and foreign media outlets months ago but was ignored. The Eurogroup for Animals, of which CAAI is a member, pointed him towards the Bulgarian authorities. He then tried contacting GDCOC’s Cybercrime Directorate but did not receive an answer for his report.

For months, he grew desperate as he kept tabs on the sadistic content. The videos kept coming, and no action was being taken. In August 2024, a tip reached CAAI. “We were appalled because we see cases of animal abuse almost every day, but the truth is, we’d never seen anything like this before in our lives,” says Vladimir Nguyen of the organisation.

Within mere hours, public outrage brewed to unprecedented levels. An online petition was created, demanding maximum sentences in accordance with the law against animal abuse. On March 16th and 17th, mass protests erupted in front of the courts of the capital of Sofia and the perpetrators’ home city of Pernik. Spontaneous protests were organised across the country in cities such as Plovdiv, Burgas, and Veliko Tarnovo.

It did not take long for Sashova and Georgiev to be named and shamed – both CAAI and GDCOC only provided the perpetrators’ first initials when informing the public, but activists and disturbed citizens alike were not satisfied with this afforded protection of anonymity. The Bulgarian people are out for blood.

Sashova’s Facebook profile is now flooded by users hurling insults at her and drawing attention to the signs that were always there for her abuse of animals. A photo of Sashova’s perfectly manicured red nails shows visible scratches, likely from her recent victims.

During the protests and under every post monitoring the case, people are demanding capital punishment, despite the death sentence being abolished in Bulgaria in 1998. Some are demanding a life sentence for both perpetrators, stating that “[They] don’t want these people to live freely in the same society [as them].”

As of March 18th, the petition demanding that the perpetrators be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law has over 160 000 signatures. For reference, most online petitions in Bulgaria do not gain even 10 000 signatures within months of circulation, regardless of their goal. Bulgaria recorded 6 601 262 citizens as eligible to vote in the elections in October 2024, with only 2 570 629 making it to the section polls – a mere 38.94%. Yet the people signing the petition are increasing every day, and as it is now – 2.42% of eligible voters are supporting it.

This growing public outrage represents more than a stance against animal cruelty.

In the past years, there has been an increase in visible violence across all aspects of Bulgarian society. From the start of 2025, four new femicides have been recorded across the country. Just a week before this case was uncovered, a 15-year-old girl was assaulted. Increasing attacks by teenagers in shopping centres have alerted everyone to how unsafe public spaces across the country are.

These are far from the only cases. In fact, just tracing the reports on a popular news channel, BTV, the same day that the news about the animal abusers reached Bulgarian social media, other violent crimes were recorded – a man was stabbed over an argument related to a parking spot in the centre of Pernik. All on the same day, March 13th, a man in the city of Sevlievo murdered his ex-girlfriend.

A mere few days later, on March 17th, a domestic argument between a man and his brother-in-law resulted in a death by stabbing. On March 18th there was a protest demanding justice for another set of victims from earlier in the month – two meteorologists suffered an attack on March 9th while at the high-altitude weather station of Murgash when a schizophrenic man broke in, causing them serious bodily harm.

A poster from the protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia reads, “Today it’s animals; tomorrow it’s our children.” Users across different social media platforms share posts and reels with themselves, pensive or teary-eyed, expressing their disgust and shock that this is possible.

"We all need to show that such 'people' have no place in society – people who actually take pleasure in abusing a defenceless animal, killing it and taking pleasure in these horrors. In fact, it has been proven that they then move on to people," said a protester in Sofia, Eva Dabovska, to the BTV news reporters on the scene.

"Our demands are about the law 325, the second paragraph, paragraph b. And that the abusers really receive a fair punishment,” Metodi Dimitrov, another protestor there, explained.

Law 325 of the Bulgarian Criminal Code

Some people have said that the law being cited is barely a slap on the wrist, so activists shouldn’t get too worked up about it. “Let’s be realistic,” one Instagram user commented. “Law 325 is up to three or four years. Plus, it’s illegal activity on the dark web. It’s not like you can reasonably prevent it.”

That might not actually be the case. First, none of this activity was actually done on the so-called “dark web”; it was entirely done using messaging apps with some degree of moderation, the likes of which we all use in our day-to-day lives, and payment services such as PayPal and Revolut.

Animal cruelty has been punishable in Bulgaria since 2011 and can carry up to four years as a maximum sentence. As of August 2023, the punishment has been increased so that no one can escape criminal culpability by arguing a different crime, such as “property damage”.

Bulgaria has more than its share of animal cruelty. Malevolent citizens are known to poison food and distribute it in parks or around their residential buildings, ensuring a slow and painful death for any hungry creature that eats the scraps left out as bait. During one such case in 2012, despite overwhelming evidence of malicious intent and no remorse, the perpetrator was released with only a fine after poisoning many pets in the neighbourhood.

The Ministry of Justice is proposing several hypotheses that could increase the punishment for animal cruelty and prevent any future cases of barbarity. One suggestion is to increase the punishment for special cases, such as when the original crime of animal cruelty is recorded with the intention of spreading it. Another is when the crime is perpetrated with the intent to elicit funds from it.

In any case, the minister of justice, Georgi Georgiev, has included different animal rights organisations in the conversation and promised a functional framework that can be used to prevent and deter future perpetrators from attempting this cruel get-rich-quick scheme.

Another thing to consider is that this is far from the only crime Sashova and Georgiev are being prosecuted for. GDCOC listed several violations of the criminal code on their Facebook post following the arrest.

“…In the period from September 2022 to January 2025 they conspired among themselves to commit crimes in the country and abroad, through which they would obtain property benefits - crimes under Art. 321, para. 6 of the Criminal Code, under Art. 325b, para. 2, item 2, cf. Al. 1, ext. Art. 20, para. 2, ex. Al. 1 , vr. Art. 26, para. 1 of the Criminal Code and under Art. 253, para. 3, item 1 and item 2, excl. Al. 1 of the Criminal Code.”

Let’s break down each of these laws in detail:

Art. 321. (1) – A person who forms or leads an organised criminal group shall be punished by imprisonment for three to ten years.

(6) – Anyone who agrees with one or more individuals to commit, in this country or abroad, crimes punishable by imprisonment of more than three years and that pursue the aim of supplying a material benefit or the exertion of illegal influence over the operations of a competent authority or the local government shall be punished by imprisonment of up to six years.

Art. 325b. (1) – Anyone who, acting in cruelty against a vertebrate, illegally causes the death of the animal or severe or lasting harm shall be punishable by imprisonment of one and up to four years and a fine from BGN 1,000 to 5,000.

(2) – The punishment shall be imprisonment from two to four years and a fine from BGN 2,000 to 5,000 when the act under Paragraph 1 has been committed:

1. by a person who carries on a business activity or exercises a profession related to raising or taking care of animals;

2. in a manner or by means which pose danger to the life of people or animals, by inflicting severe agony upon the animal, or committed with cruelty;

3. in a public place or in the presence of a minor;

4. repeatedly.

(3) – When the act under Paragraphs 2 and 3 constitutes dangerous recidivism, the punishment is imprisonment from two to five years and a fine of BGN 5,000 to 10,000.

Art. 20. (1) – Accomplices in the perpetration of intentional crime shall be: perpetrators, abettors and accessories.

(2) – A perpetrator shall be a person who took part in the perpetration itself of the crime.

(3) – An abettor shall be a person who intentionally incited another to commit a crime.

(4) – An accessory shall be a person who intentionally facilitated the perpetration of a crime through advice, explanations, promises to render assistance after the act, removal of obstacles, supply of means or in any other way.

Art. 26. (1) – Provisions of Articles 23 - 25 shall not apply to cases of undisrupted crime - a series of two or more acts which, taken separately, would qualify under the same or under different subheadings of a specific crime, are committed over short periods of time, in similar surrounding circumstances, and are characterised with a homogenous form of guilt, the subsequent acts appearing, both objectively and subjectively - as regards guilt - a continuation of the preceding ones.

Art. 253. (1) – The one who concludes a financial operation or property transaction or conceals the origin, location, movement or the actual rights in the property, which is known or assumed to be acquired through crime or another act that is dangerous for the public, shall be punished for money laundering by imprisonment from one to six years and a fine from BGN 3,000 to 5,000.

(2) – The punishment under Paragraph 1 shall also be imposed on the one who acquires, receives, holds, uses, transforms or assists, in any way whatsoever, the transformation of property, which is known or assumed, as of its receipt, to have been acquired through crime or another act that is dangerous for the public.

(3) – The punishment shall be imprisonment for one to eight years and a fine from BGN 5,000 to 20,000 if the act under Paragraphs 1 and 2 has been committed:

1. by two or more individuals who have reached a preliminary agreement or by an individual who acts on the orders of or executes a decision of an organised criminal group;

2. two or more times;

According to just one of their crimes, the perpetrators could serve up to eight years.

Furthermore, as the minister of justice Georgi Georgiev said in response to a journalist’s question, the paying customers who Sashova and Georgiev provided with their footage are also culpable.

The district attorney’s office reported that there are no Bulgarian citizens among the customers. Albena Stoilova, speaker and prosecutor of the Pernik prosecutor’s office, said the following:

“The customers are from all over the world. Up until now, we haven’t uncovered a single Bulgarian citizen.”

Vladislav Todorov of the cybercrime unit in GDCOC tells reporters that “In order to get to the persons who paid for this activity, all this information must be analysed. We are ready, as soon as such persons are identified, to refer the matter to the competent services that are in the member states.” The Bulgarian institutions confirm that this case is bigger than just a single couple engaging in animal torture. “This is the first time I have personally encountered such cruelty,” he adds.

Yet this still might not be all the charges that are brought against Sashova and Georgiev.

These snuff videos are very much a form of pornography, both as far as the paying customers are concerned and perhaps according to the Criminal Code of the Bulgarian state. According to Article 93, Paragraph 28, "pornographic material" is defined as indecent, unacceptable or incompatible with the public moral material which depicts in an open manner a sexual conduct. Such a conduct shall be a conduct which expresses real or simulated sexual intercourse between persons from the same or the opposite sex, sodomy, masturbation, sexual sadism or masochism, or lascivious demonstration of the sexual organs of a person.

Then, according to Article 159, Paragraph 1, “A person who produces, displays, presents, broadcasts, distributes, sells, rents or otherwise circulates pornographic material shall be punished with imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of BGN 1,000 to 3,000.”

In the same article, Paragraph 2 states that “A person who distributes [pornographic material] through the Internet or in another similar manner shall be punished by imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of BGN 1,000 to 3,000.”

Finally, in Paragraph 5, “Where the acts under Paragraphs 1 to 4 are committed at the orders or in implementing a decision of an organised criminal group, the punishment is imprisonment from three to ten years and a fine of up to BGN 20,000, and the court may also impose the confiscation of some or all the possessions of the perpetrator.”

With all the charges listed so far, we can reasonably expect the perpetrators to serve more than ten years, minimum.

You Better Hope They Lock You Up

The slogan for the protests and any conversations surrounding the case speak volumes – “prison for the murderous freaks”.

The Bulgarian twin-words “урод“ (urod) and „изрод“ (izrod) convey a deep, primal disgust. The words can alternatively be translated to something like monster, idiot, degenerate, a misshapen or deformed creature, or lunatic. Etymologically, it was used to describe people and animals born with some kind of deformity, but it’s grown into its figurative meaning – a person of devious, perverted morality.

“I would destroy them if I saw them,” a friend confides in me as we discuss the case. Much of her life is centred on helping people and animals alike, be it through small acts of kindness or activism. She is intimately familiar with the workings of the dark web and the thinly veiled market of monstrosities that thrives there.

Bulgarian businesses aimed at pet owners have also spoken out. From the large chain “NotHuman Store” to the smaller, family-owned “Happy Box,” the disgust and dismay at this display of animal violence have reached an all-time high.

One such video starts by addressing the perpetrators directly. “Krasimir Georgiev and Gabriela Sashova from Pernik,” the woman in the video says. “More people hate you than you can imagine. So, pray. Pray that you end up behind bars for the rest of your lives. That will be a better life for you than getting out.”

The effects of naming and shaming the abusers can already be felt. Another wave of protests in Pernik culminated in front of Sashova’s house in the village of Divotino. Locals say they haven’t seen her there in a long time and that she always seemed like a normal girl, not someone capable of this.

The public quickly found out that the other perpetrator, Georgiev, worked in construction. He’s described as a person with a good, decent-paying job, a tradesman who insulates buildings.

"Whenever I asked them for help, they always responded and always helped.” Said the mayor of Divotino, Simeon Metodiev. ”For example, to clean the monument, to clean in front of the store, to clean up in the park…"

Sashova was in her second year of studies at “Lyuben Karavelov” University, majoring in Construction of Buildings. Once the animal atrocities she participated in were made public, she was officially expelled by the institution. This was confirmed on March 17th by the Rector Assoc. Dr. Eng. Anita Handruleva, who issued order No. RD-00175/17.03.2025,effectively dismissing the student.

Staying Connected

Silvia Bogomilova, mother of the arrested sadist, was said to be a member of the liberal political party “Democratic Bulgaria” (DB) and rumoured to be close to its leader, Hristo Ivanov. Alongside “We Continue the Change,” (WCC) DB has been hailed as the only option for socially conscious Bulgarians with pro-EU politics.

Until 2023, the Green Movement party, one of the few that advocates for animal rights, was in coalition with DB, citing moral differences on the stance for the Israeli genocide in Gaza as a reason for their split. Now, we can expect voters’ trust in DB to erode even further.

However, DB themselves have officially denied Bogomilova being counted among their members. She was a mayoral candidate for her home village of Divotino and has now become the target for local activists’ scorn. People online are appalled by her arrogance, challenging critics to show up and “say things to her face” instead of taking the opportunity to condemn her daughter’s actions.

In the Divotino citizens Facebook group, someone says that Bogomilova herself was famous for hanging her neighbours’ cats. The user shares a screenshot of Bogomilova’s Viber profile and phone number and encourages people to stop by the family’s store and “share the feelings they inspired in them”.

In an interview with Nova Television, a volunteer at the Pernik municipality dog shelter by the name of Nadya Raykova tells reporters that Bogomilova’s behaviour is absurd as she tries to threaten critics, including the woman who organised the protest in Pernik. To avoid Bogomilova’s scorn, the organiser still remains anonymous.

Raykova tells the interviewer of reports they’ve received since the case went public – people recognising Sashova and Georgiev. Many pet store workers and citizens who let them adopt cats from them, all coming to the chilling realisation of what happened to the animals they released into their custody.

There is an understandable suspicion that Bogomilova might exert her influence to arrange a pardon for the couple. Such was the case for Zhechko Kyurkchiev, the son of a wealthy business owner, who in 2022 crashed his SUV into Svetomira Nakeva’s car in the city of Shumen, killing her instantly and injuring her friend.

Kyurkchiev’s blood tests came back positive for amphetamines, but his defence argued he was at the dentist and it was the sedative that had appeared in the bloodwork. His car, stored as evidence in a secured police-owned parking lot, was meant to be searched again. It was set on fire and completely destroyed before anything conclusive could be proven.

Today, people feel that Kyurkchiev is unpunished. He was a student at a university in Varna who received little more than a symbolic sentence of three years, a fine paid by his parents, and a slap on the wrist. Despite his pleas that he regrets what happened, Nakeva’s family feels the punishment was unjust. The court ruled in his favour, citing that he was a promising young man who could contribute to society.

The very night their daughter died, Kyurkchiev’s own parents were quick to save him from spending a single night in the police department. The drug allegations were dropped, and he took no responsibility for driving under the influence of a substance. An acquaintance of both families told me that he continued attending classes for some time before he was officially sentenced.

The careless driver who took Nakeva’s life received a sentence of three years, which he might not even serve in its entirety. Now, people are concerned that the couple who made a business out of torturing animals for pornographic content might receive the same leniency. “It will be the umpteenth case of a nepotist umbrella if they escape justice,” one user says.

The Dominatrix Scapegoat

Public ire is focused on Sashova as the star of these videos and, consequently, her mother – Silvia Bogomilova. But one of the investigators from BG Elves warns that this is part of Georgiev’s backup plan in the event of getting caught.

Currently, Georgiev is only being charged as an accessory to Sashova’s criminal activity. There is hope that more charges will be brought against him, but there is suspicion he might get away with a light sentence or even be acquitted and not serve any time.

Krasimir Georgiev is a deeply disturbed individual. As a child, he was unwanted – his father was unknown, and his mother, a prostitute, abandoned him. Georgiev grew up as a ward of the state, a product of the Bulgarian foster care system and its failings.

This is not the first time Georgiev has expressed a desire to harm animals. An ex-girlfriend who remains anonymous reported that he wanted her to crush snails, and shortly after she refused, their relationship ended. There are clear indications that Georgiev himself derives pleasure from the torture he filmed with Sashova.

The elves go on to explain that this entire operation is the product of small, gradual escalations. It did not start with Georgiev outright suggesting that Sashova kill a cat. Through subtle manipulations, jokes and playful suggestions, Georgiev likely started with smaller creatures, like slugs, snails, lizards or frogs. The only difference is that other women did not get involved as deeply.

“And if it really happens that on the basis of her testimony [Georgiev] is acquitted,” one of the elves says, “tomorrow he will go somewhere, and he will find another girl with whom to do these things. And I guarantee you, without excusing [Sashova] in any way, that he is the instigator.”

Georgiev is undoubtedly the mastermind behind their snuff operation. The couple would rent over 30 different locations across the country, primarily around Pernik and Sofia, and procure the animals from pet stores and respond to ads for pet adoption.

He is Sashova’s director, cameraman, and the one keeping their “business” afloat. While Sashova plays a role in the twisted fantasy they sell, in reality, Georgiev is the one in control.

“This is like an artistic performance, as disgusting as that might sound,” the elf explains. “And in that performance, [Sashova] plays the role of the dominant one. But away from the camera she’s just a little girl who is looking for Krasimir’s attention, and he dictates the circumstances for that.”

Sashova, while guilty of the recorded crimes, is also a victim of Georgiev’s sadistic manipulation. BG elves warn that politics have entered the arena to sway public opinion as Bogomilova became a secondary target, steadily taking the spotlight further from Georgiev.

“But the mother has no guilt in this. [Bogomilova] didn’t know anything up until the moment the daughter was arrested… She sees the two, sees that her child is happy, that Krasimir is taking care of [Sashova], that they’re fixing up an apartment and travelling together.”

Since her daughter’s arrest, Bogomilova has received countless violent threats, calling for her to be gutted or raped.

“These protests are totally inappropriate,” one user shares their opinion. “You can’t be calling for an end to violence against animals by threatening a woman in front of her home with rape and murder.” 

The Inevitable Whataboutism

As the outrage increased on Bulgarian social media, so did the comments on related posts, saying some version of “but what about this other case?”

Users mention different injustices they want to see addressed, ranging from the murder of a young man in Vidin to the Egyptian minors left to freeze to death by border police on the Bulgarian-Turkish border several months ago. Some people thought this animal cruelty case was overblown and that Bulgarian citizens should be more concerned about what happens to people, not animals.

Bulgarian musician and photographer, “Your Uncle Lyubo,” said the following in an Instagram reel shared across the platform:

“These days I’m hearing about how the only thing that stopped these people from not doing this to children and only doing this to animals is the fact that there were laws. That is not true at all. The only thing that stopped them is the fact that nobody gave them enough money. They did this for 50 to 700 euros. Now imagine that some rich guy comes in, who are usually the types who buy this stuff, and he offers them 100 thousand euros to repeat the same thing with a grown person or a child. Do you think they wouldn’t do it? Of course they would do it. These types of people don’t see a difference between any living creature, and we shouldn’t see a difference either. And everyone has to be protected in the exact same way. I’m just left with the impression that some people aren’t taking this crime as seriously as it has to be taken. Look at documentaries; there are a bunch about the deep and dark web, like you’ll see about Brazil; this is a very serious and well-paid business, and the fact that it’s being carried over to our homeland is something very, very frightening. These types of people have to be prosecuted extremely seriously. And this [reel] is especially for the people not taking it all as seriously because it’s not a human life; it’s about an animal – there is absolutely no difference.”

One of the most striking calls of “hypocrisy” for this movement came from an unexpected direction – self-proclaimed animal rights activists. As people shared posts and Instagram reels voicing their disgust at the horrific abuse of animals, vegetarians and vegans across the platform were found in the comments telling them they were hypocrites unless they were on a plant-based diet.

An artist created a strip comic satirising the current outrage of the average Bulgarian, who then goes on to order a hamburger with extra meat. Many people campaigning for the harsh prosecution of Sashova and Georgiev find this approach tone-deaf at best.

“It’s such an ugly comparison. How can you even insinuate that eating animal products can be compared to getting off on their recorded mutilation and torture?” One user responds. “I guarantee you that if they were torturing chickens and pigs, we meat-eaters would still be appalled. You have to treat every living creature with kindness and respect, even if it’s going to be food. I even remember there was a video circulating years ago where people were abusing a pig. I didn’t see it myself, but I remember my classmates all being so disgusted and appalled. None of us were even vegetarians – you don’t have to be on a specific diet to know wrong from right.”

Taking a Stand Against Impunity

The demands of protestors and activists can be summarised as follows:

• Maximum prison sentences for the perpetrators.

• Harsher punishments for the abuse of vertebrate animals.

• A functional animal police force and better investigations.

But there is something deeper than “animal rights activism” at the core of this outrage.

“There is no law that can replace humanity,” says the minister of justice, Georgi Georgiev, at a press conference. “The judicial system steps in when the lines of that humanity, of goodness and morality, have long been crossed.”

Ultimately, this nationwide outrage is precisely because every line has been crossed. It is simply the undeniable innocence and helplessness of these unfortunate animals that finally pushed citizens past their breaking point.

“What I want to appeal to everyone watching this, to everyone who is scandalised and shocked… ” says Petya Altimirska of CAAI during an interview, “above all, we have to understand that this is merely a symptom of our sick society, of the escalating aggression, of the violence that surrounds us.”

Bulgarian society is sick, and it has been sick for a long time. We are drowning in corruption, the likes of which is claiming lives at breakneck speed across the entire Balkans, most recently with the death of the 12 year old Sayana in the region of Pleven. There is no trust in public institutions. People who are supposed to care, like police investigators and government representatives, are deeply uncaring, leaving the helpless to unsuccessfully fend for themselves. Selfishness and mercantilism have become paradigms of our national reality.

In recent years, we have begun sinking into violence. We are seeing more and more attacks on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and increasing femicide rates across the country. Child abuse is so common that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to issue a warning to Bulgarian families on how to behave with their children when travelling abroad. Domestic violence is so rampant it claims a new victim approximately once every two weeks, and the ones that survive it are blamed by both the popular media and society at large. Sexual violence is often not prosecuted and largely excused by the general public as something the victims have brought onto themselves.

The case brought against Gabriela Sashova and Krasimir Georgiev is something more. These two people (as we must use the word loosely) are the embodiment of this sickness that permeates Bulgarian society.

Georgiev is a tradesman with a well-paying job. Sashova had the opportunity to study and pursue a career. They are both conventionally attractive young people, liked by their neighbours and, by all accounts, took an active part in their community. They had every opportunity to choose any of the virtues valued in Bulgarian culture – honest work, kindness, humility, or patience.

Instead, they sold pornographic content with the torture and murder of small animals – cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, fish and other equally helpless creatures. They have profited off this monstrous activity for at least three years. Until now, they have lived better, more comfortable lives than any doctor, nurse, firefighter or teacher could ever dream of. Their cars, clothing, lip fillers, manicures, travel to exotic destinations, different possessions and lavish experiences – all paid for by sheer cruelty. Georgiev and Sashova’s lives are a feast of blood. It is an absolute disgrace to what should be rewarded in a normal society.

Yet this is a society that lets a paediatric doctor barely scrape by, working hundreds of hours of overtime, only to be attacked by a patient's parents. It allows drunk drivers who kill journalists to walk away free, serving most of their symbolic sentence under house arrest after lying at every stage of their trial. It lets husbands kill their wives because no institution intervened when she asked for help. And it lets someone take small, helpless, trusting creatures and gleefully torture them on camera for the pleasure of paying viewers, and then they get to live lavishly with the profits.

Today, it's small animals. Tomorrow — no, already it's children, as the recently trialled case of 5-year-old Adrian's abusers, a boy systematically tortured and filmed by his stepfather, has shown us. The violence is everywhere, all the time, and enough is enough. We want to live in a society where violence is unacceptable and the state does not sit idly by and let it happen again and again. We want justice — for the animals, yes, and for people, too.

Hopefully, this could be a landmark case that ushers in an end to the rampant impunity that has defined us as a nation for so many years.