National Documentation Packages (NDPs) are lists of public documents that provide information on country conditions. Updates occur on a regular basis.
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Jurisprudential Guides Notes
Jurisprudential Guides Notes
On
July 28, 2022, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide:
-
Decision TC1 05038 – The proper interpretation of the ‘generalized risk’ exception to protection found at subparagraph 97(1)(b)(ii) of the Act, in claims for protection involving allegations of gang-targeting or other acts of criminality.
On
December 22, 2020, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide.
-
Decision MB8-00025 – This Jurisprudential Guide addresses, in applying Article 1E of the Refugee Convention, whether members should consider allegations of risk in a country of residence if they conclude that a refugee claimant has the rights and obligations which are attached to the possession of nationality in that country.
On
July 6, 2018, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being a
Jurisprudential Guide.
-
Decision TB7-19851 – Nigeria – This Jurisprudential Guide addresses internal flight alternatives in major cities in south and central Nigeria for claimants fleeing non-state actors.
Revoked
The country documentation referenced in each of these decisions has been included in s.16 of the updated National Documentation Packages published on July 10, 2018.
On
July 20, 2017, the Chairperson identified the following Refugee Appeal Division decision as being
Jurisprudential Guides.
-
Decision TB7-01837 – Pakistan – Whether the treatment experienced by Ahmadis in Pakistan amounts to persecution, whether state protection is available and whether there is a viable internal flight alternative.
-
Decision MB6-01059/60 – India – Availability of an internal flight alternative in India for claimants from Punjab.
Revoked
-
Decision TB6-11632 – China – Analysis of the efficacy of the Chinese national computer network known as the Golden Shield Project and its impact on whether a person wanted by the authorities can exit China via an airport using a genuine passport.
Revoked
The country documentation referenced in each of these decisions has been included in s.16 of the updated National Documentation Packages published on July 20, 2017.
Back
31 March 2017
BULGARIA
List of Documents
1.
General Information and Maps
Source:
United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
Date of Document:
June 1994
Accessed Date:
25 October 2012
Title:
Bulgarie. L'Encyclopédie en ligne.
Accessed Date:
25 October 2012
Title:
Bulgaria. The World Factbook.
Source:
United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
Date of Document:
22 November 2016
Accessed Date:
28 November 2016
Title:
III.4. Ethno-Demographic Characteristics of the Population. 2011 Population Census in the Republic of Bulgaria
Source:
Bulgaria. National Statistical Institute.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2013
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; minorities; nationality; religion; statistics
Title:
Bulgaria. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
3 March 2017
Accessed Date:
7 March 2017
Title:
Bulgaria. Amnesty International Annual Report 2015/16: The State of the World's Human Rights.
Source:
Amnesty International
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria. Nations in Transit 2016.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria. Freedom in the World 2016.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Bulgaria
Source:
United Nations. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Date of Document:
8 July 2015
Accessed Date:
20 November 2015
Keywords:
children; disappeared persons; domestic violence; ethnic and national groups; freedom of the press; gender equality; judicial efficacy; labour; legal system; legislation; marriage; minorities; penal system; race; religion; sexual minorities; sexual violence; social services; torture; trafficking in persons
Title:
Report by Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, following his visit to Bulgaria, from 9 to 11 February 2015
Source:
Council of Europe. Commissioner for Human Rights.
Date of Document:
22 June 2015
Accessed Date:
19 October 2015
Keywords:
children; freedom of movement; freedom of the press; gender equality; human rights activists; institutional efficacy; legislation; social services
Title:
Comments of the Bulgarian Government to the report of the Commissioner for Human Rights following his visit to Bulgaria on 9-11 February 2015
Source:
Council of Europe. Commissioner for Human Rights.
Date of Document:
16 July 2015
Accessed Date:
19 October 2015
Keywords:
children; crime; freedom of movement; freedom of the press; judicial efficacy; legal system; legislation
Title:
Human Rights in Bulgaria in 2015. Annual report of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee.
Source:
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
Date of Document:
April 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
3.
Identification Documents and Citizenship
Title:
Law for the Bulgarian Citizenship
Accessed Date:
28 October 2014
Keywords:
children; citizenship; legislation; marriage
Title:
Bulgaria Reciprocity Schedule
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgarian Biometric Passport – Mission Unaccomplished
Accessed Date:
28 October 2014
Keywords:
identity documents
Title:
Law for the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria
Accessed Date:
12 February 2013
Keywords:
identity documents; legislation
Title:
Country Report: Bulgaria. Report on Citizenship Law.
Source:
European University Institute. EUDO Citizenship.
Date of Document:
May 2013
Author:
Daniel Smilov, Elena Jileva
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
4.
Political Activities and Organizations
Title:
I. Political Transformation. Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2016 — Bulgaria Country Report.
Source:
Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung
Accessed Date:
28 November 2016
5.
Gender, Domestic Violence and Children
Title:
National Study on Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (DGBV) and Elaboration of a Victims Support Model (VSM). Legal, Institutional and Policy Analysis.
Source:
Partners Bulgaria Foundation. Center for the Study of Democracy. Human Rights Academy.
Date of Document:
August 2015
Author:
Gunn Bjørnsen et al.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria. Wave Report 2014. Specialized Women's Support Services and New Tools for Combatting Gender-Based Violence in Europe.
Source:
Women Against Violence Europe
Author:
Kelly Blank et al.
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Protection Against Domestic Violence Act
Accessed Date:
25 October 2012
Keywords:
domestic violence; legislation; sexual violence
Title:
Bulgaria. Social Institutions and Gender Index 2014.
Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria. Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe
Source:
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. ILGA-Europe.
Date of Document:
May 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Changing Laws, Changing Minds: Challenging Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crimes in Bulgaria
Source:
Amnesty International
Date of Document:
June 2012
Accessed Date:
12 February 2013
Keywords:
crime; institutional efficacy; judicial efficacy; legal system; legislation; penal system; police efficacy; police/security forces; sexual minorities; social services
7.
Criminality and Corruption
Title:
Bulgaria (Tier 2 Watch List). Trafficking in Persons Report 2016.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
June 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria. 2016 OSAC Crime and Safety Report.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
15 February 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
8.
Military Service - (No items in this section)
9.
Judiciary, Legal and Penal Systems
Title:
Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Progress in Bulgaria under the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism
Source:
European Commission
Date of Document:
27 January 2015
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Missing the Point : Lack of Adequate Investigation of Hate Crimes in Bulgaria
Source:
Amnesty International
Date of Document:
9 February 2015
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Report to the Bulgarian Government on the visit to Bulgaria carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 13 to 20 February 2015
Source:
Council of Europe
Date of Document:
12 November 2015
Accessed Date:
10 November 2016
Title:
Response of the Bulgarian Government to the report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) on its visit to Bulgaria from 13 to 20 February 2015
Source:
Council of Europe
Date of Document:
12 November 2015
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
10.
Police and Security Forces - (No items in this section)
11.
Media Freedoms - (No items in this section)
Title:
Bulgaria. International Religious Freedom Report for 2015.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
10 August 2016
Accessed Date:
10 November 2016
13.
Nationality, Ethnicity and Race
Title:
Bulgaria. State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2015: Events of 2014.
Source:
Minority Rights Group International
Date of Document:
2 July 2015
Accessed Date:
20 October 2015
Keywords:
crime; ethnic and national groups; extremist/terrorist organizations; legal system; minorities
Title:
Bulgaria. ERRC Submission to the European Commission on the EU Roma Framework
Source:
European Roma Rights Centre
Date of Document:
February 2016
Accessed Date:
28 November 2016
Title:
Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Third Opinion on Bulgaria Adopted on 11 February 2014.
Code:
ACFC/OP/III(2014)001
Source:
Council of Europe
Date of Document:
30 July 2014
Accessed Date:
28 October 2014
Keywords:
crime; ethnic and national groups; extremist/terrorist organizations; freedom of assembly; freedom of expression; identity documents; institutional efficacy; legislation; minorities; political organizations; religion
Title:
Comments of the Government of Bulgaria on the Third Opinion of the Advisory Committee on the Implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by Bulgaria
Code:
GVT/COM/III(2014)004
Date of Document:
30 July 2014
Accessed Date:
28 October 2014
Keywords:
ethnic and national groups; freedom of assembly; institutional efficacy; police efficacy; police/security forces; religion
Title:
Public Attitudes Towards Hate Speech in Bulgaria in 2016
Source:
Open Society Institute Sofia
Date of Document:
12 July 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Violence against Roma, including by extremist groups; state protection and treatment by police (2013-October 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
10 November 2015
Accessed Date:
24 November 2015
Keywords:
crime; ethnic and national groups; extralegal executions/killings; extremist/terrorist organizations; judicial efficacy; legal system; minorities; police/security forces; race; statistics
Title:
Situation of Roma, including access to employment, housing, healthcare, and education; state efforts to improve the conditions for Roma (2013-October 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
2 November 2015
Accessed Date:
24 November 2015
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; extremist/terrorist organizations; gender equality; minorities; political organizations; race; social services; statistics
Title:
Muslims in Bulgaria
Source:
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
Date of Document:
12 July 2013
Accessed Date:
24 October 2013
Keywords:
citizenship; conflict; ethnic and national groups; indigenous groups; legislation; marriage; minorities; political activities; political organizations; religion; social services; statistics
Title:
Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report on Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 and 2013 in Bulgaria
Source:
Decade of Roma Inclusion Secretariat Foundation; Open Society Foundations
Author:
Deyan Kolev et al.
Accessed Date:
20 October 2015
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; extremist/terrorist organizations; identity documents; institutional efficacy; labour; legislation; minorities; sexual minorities; social services; statistics
Title:
The European Union and Roma – Factsheet. Bulgaria.
Source:
European Commission
Date of Document:
4 April 2014
Accessed Date:
28 October 2014
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; labour; legislation; police/security forces; social services; statistics
Title:
Bulgaria: country report
Date of Document:
July 2014
Accessed Date:
20 October 2015
Keywords:
children; conflict; crime; ethnic and national groups; institutional efficacy; legislation; social services; statistics
Title:
Bulgaria. Assessing the implementation of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and the Council Recommendation on Effective Roma integration measures in the Member States 2016.
Source:
European Commission.
Date of Document:
27 June 2016
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Bulgaria Country Assessment 2015
Source:
European Commission
Accessed Date:
24 October 2016
Title:
Advancing the Education of Roma in Bulgaria: REF Country Assessment - 2015.
Source:
Roma Education Fund
Accessed Date:
20 October 2015
Keywords:
children; ethnic and national groups; minorities; race; social services; statistics
Title:
ECRI Report on Bulgaria: fifth monitoring cycle
Source:
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
Date of Document:
16 September 2014
Accessed Date:
20 October 2015
Keywords:
crime; ethnic and national groups; institutional efficacy; Internet
14.
Exit/Entry and Freedom of Movement
Title:
European Union: Application of the Protocol on Asylum for Nationals of Member States of the European Union (2013-June 2015)
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
9 July 2015
Accessed Date:
31 July 2015
Keywords:
citizenship; freedom of movement; identity documents; legislation; political activities; statistics
Title:
European Union: Freedom of movement, residency and social security regulations for European Union (EU) nationals who move to other EU countries; the situation of Czech, Hungarian, and Slovak nationals who move to other EU countries, including...
Source:
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Date of Document:
16 July 2015
Accessed Date:
31 July 2015
Keywords:
citizenship; freedom of movement; identity documents; legislation; political activities; statistics
15.
Labour, Employment and Unions - (No items in this section)
16.
Other - (No items in this section)
The following changes have been made to the previous package dated 30 November 2016:
Title:
Bulgaria. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015.
Source:
United States. Department of State.
Date of Document:
13 April 2016
URL:
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2015&dlid=252831
Accessed Date:
19 April 2016
Keywords:
arbitrary arrest and detention; children; citizenship; corruption; disappeared persons; domestic violence; ethnic and national groups; extralegal executions/killings; freedom of assembly; freedom of expression; freedom of the press; gender equality; institutional efficacy; internal displacement; Internet; labour; legal system; minorities; penal system; police efficacy; police/security forces; political activities; political prisoners; race; religion; sexual minorities; sexual violence; state surveillance; torture; warrants
Disclaimer
National Documentation Packages (NDPs) include country-of-origin information that is publicly accessible at the time of publication and available within time constraints. While the Research Directorate strives to maintain the
NDP with current information, the research is not exhaustive and country conditions can change rapidly. Members of the public are invited to
suggest documents they feel are relevant to the
NDP.
NDPs are not, and do not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Rather, they are intended to support the refugee determination process. The assessment and weight to be given to the information in the
NDPs are the responsibility of independent
IRB members (decision-makers) after considering the evidence and arguments presented by the parties.
All sources are fully cited, including a hyperlink, to facilitate the location of the information. The
IRB will attempt to ensure that these links are maintained for the most recent
NDP. It cannot guarantee or be responsible for:
- the functionality of links to external sources,
- the content accessed by these links,
- the availability of external content in both English and French,
- any other part of a third party website.
The information presented in
NDPs solely reflects the views and perspectives of the sources cited and does not necessarily reflect the position of the
IRB or the Government of Canada.