Turnbull dismisses call for help from Australian on terror charges in Bulgaria

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reminded Australians travelling overseas to follow the laws of the countries they visit after an appeal for help from an Australian man facing terror charges in Bulgaria.

John Zakhariev is calling on the Australian government for help as he faces 8 years' jail for terror-related charges.

John Zakhariev is calling on the Australian government for help as he faces 8 years' jail for terror-related charges. Source: AAP

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has brushed aside a request for assistance from an Australian man facing terror charges in Bulgaria.

John Zakhariev, a 21-year-old dual-citizen, is facing allegations he trained in the Balkan nation with the intention of fighting in Syria for Islamic State.

"We can provide some consular assistance but the law is the law and it is up to the legal system of the country you are visiting," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Mr Zakhariev appealed for assistance from the Australian government on Tuesday after a verdict in his trial was deferred until June 5.



"I would ask our government to possibly do something to aid me, perhaps, when I am sentenced to send me back to Australia, so that even I am in prison there I can actually do things to pass the time," he said.

"I will make this appeal to the Australian authorities to actually do something to aid me, and I think they have a moral obligation to do so, because it was ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) that actually sold me to Bulgaria in the first place."

Mr Zakhariev said he was not confident of receiving a favourable verdict in June.

"I think I will be definitely facing a guilty verdict, now how many years I am going to receive, I do not know, but it wouldn't surprise me if I was to receive the maximum," Mr Zakhariev said from the courtroom.

He has continued to maintain his innocence and told reporters at the court materials allegedly found in his apartment did not prove he was involved in IS.
"When they raided my apartment they found absolutely nothing, just religious material, which even a previous expert said is actually no more religious material," he said.

"The prosecutor claimed [it] was jihadist material, so the court-appointed expert actually contradicted her.

"We also asked the court to get access to some Facebook accounts, which I believe will prove my innocence, but the court said it's not necessary, because everything that's been covered has been covered, we don't need to look at anything else.

"Once again, I think it just shows you what kind of justice system it is in this country, what kind of trial I am facing."

Mr Zakhariev said if he was going to be imprisoned he wanted to return to Australia to serve his time.

"It's miserable, I mean, the way the Bulgarian prison system is designed, it's not designed to rehabilitate people," he said.

"They lock us up for 22 hours a day, without giving us much to pass the time, and this is in stark contrast with the prison system in Australia, where everything is focused on rehabilitation.

"Actually making sure you do not re-offend when you are released and it's not surprising now for me that a lot of the guys say 'yeah when [I] get out of prison I will just go back and do the exact same crimes again'."


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Source: AAP, Reuters



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