Over 300 people dressed in typical Muslim clothing gathered on 18 September in front of the courthouse in the Bulgarian town of Pazardzhik, just before the beginning of the hearing, concerning the spread of radical Islam and imposition of Sharia state law. It was held under heavy police surveillance and only a few people from the gathered crowd were allowed to be present in the court building during the hearing.

Buses full of Muslims from Blagoevgrad, Smolyan and Pazardzhik areas arrived ...