A protest is taking place in Sofia to demand maximum sentences for a man and a woman who killed animals in a particularly cruel way. So far, nearly 60,000 people have signed an online petition calling for life sentences.

The killings, which were filmed and sold, were disturbingly brutal. The two were arrested on 14 March. They are responsible for the deaths of an unspecified number of rabbits, cats, guinea pigs and white mice. Gigabytes of footage showing the animal abuse were found on a seized computer and mobile phone.

The abuse was carried out by a 26-year-old woman, while a 35-year-old man filmed the acts. The videos were made for a "crash fetish", the court was told. The pair are not a couple and do not live together. They rented premises specifically for the purpose of filming the videos.

Protesters are also calling for tougher laws and more effective penalties for animal cruelty, as well as increased monitoring of online platforms that distribute such content. "Cruelty to animals isn't just a crime, it's a dangerous sign of violence in society. Let's stand together in defence of those who have no voice," said the organisers of Animals Rescue Sofia.

Protests with the same demands are planned for today in Burgas and tomorrow in Pernik.