TV Journalist Ruthlessly Raped and Murdered in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Viktoria Marinova, 30, TV Journalist in Bulgaria has been ruthlessly raped and murdered.

Her body was found in south-eastern Europe in a park. Prosecutors have said that she was killed in the northern town of Ruse of Bulgaria.

Georgy Georgiev Ruse regional prosecutor has made a statement that death was caused by severe blows on her head and suffocation. Her body was found on Saturday in a park.

It was later confirmed by Interior minister Mladen Marinov that she had also been raped.

Georgiev said, “Her mobile phone, car keys, glasses and part of her clothes were missing,”.

The prosecutors are investigating all her personal and professional leads. The police sources have stated that the crime at the moment does not appear to be connected to her profession as a journalist.

Viktoria Marinova worked as an administrative director of Ruse’s small private TVN television. Recently her new current events talk show called ‘Detector’ was also launched.

The OSCE’s media freedom representative Harlem Desir has condemned Marinova’s killing on Twitter:

“Shocked by the horrific murder of investigative journalist Victoria Marinova in #Bulgaria. Urgently call for a full and thorough investigation. Those responsible must be held to account.”

Her colleagues are all in a shock and have revealed that they have never received any threats intended for Viktoria Marinova nor the television. They all now fear for their safety.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Bulgaria sits at 111 on the World Press Freedom Index, however, until now, no journalists have been killed this year.

Around the world, since January 56 journalists have been killed, 10 citizen journalists have been killed and four media assistants have been killed.