After all-night hearings, the military court ruled that the 5 people detained on charges of espionage for the benefit of Russia remain in custody, BTA reports. One member of the group made a confession and was released on bail on the day he was detained.

Among those detained is former military officer Ivan Iliev whom the prosecutor’s office is charging as leader of the group, his wife, who has dual-citizenship and who is accused of serving as contact with the Russian embassy in Sofia and the deputy head of the Defence Ministry’s budget department colonel Petar Petrov. The court rulings are subject to appeal.

The reason why the court sat through the night was the fact that the lawyers for the defendants requested to get acquainted with the evidence collected by the prosecution.