A 21-year-old man charged with killing another 21-year-old near Harmanli will stay in custody. Haskovo Regional Court rejected his request for house arrest and ordered him held in detention.

This follows our earlier report on the charge that Haskovo Regional Prosecutor's Office brought against the 21-year-old for the killing of a man his own age.

The court said that under a lighter measure, the accused could go into hiding or commit another crime. At the hearing, he said he was sorry for what happened.

The victim was also 21 and is from the village of Chernogorovo, near Dimitrovgrad. His body, with the hands tied, was found on 15 October in the Harmanliyska river, near the "Prikazkite" complex. The suspect was arrested afterwards. A forensic examination found that he most likely died from strangulation.

Prosecutor Tsveta Pazaitova-Zhivakova told reporters at the court that a video camera filmed the two men heading to the crime scene. She said the footage is among the evidence that supports the belief that the accused is the killer.

The ruling can be appealed or challenged by the prosecution before the Court of Appeal in Plovdiv.