Estonian counterintelligence officer sentenced in Russia

The Estonian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the decision of the Pskov Regional Court, which on Wednesday sentenced Estonian Security Police officer Eston Kohver to 15 years. Estonia calls the abduction of Kohvera a violation of international law.

“The abduction of Eston Kohver from the territory of the Republic of Estonia by FSB officers on September 5 last year and his subsequent unlawful detention in Russia is a gross violation of international law and human rights,” Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand said in a statement.

“Today’s verdict will not change our position: we demand that Russia immediately release Eston Kohver. We, together with our allies and partners, intend to continue to apply international pressure until Eston Kohver is released and returned home to his family,” Kaljurand added.

A separate statement was issued by the Estonian Embassy in Moscow.

“The trial of Eston Kohver has nothing to do with justice […] We demand that Russia comply with international law, immediately release Eston Kohver and ensure his safe return home to Estonia,” the embassy said, adding that at the sentencing “in sign of protest" was attended by a diplomat from the Estonian Embassy in Moscow and a diplomat from the EU Delegation to Russia.

The Pskov Regional Court sentenced Estonian Eston Kohver, a security police (counterintelligence) officer of Estonia, to 15 years in prison, found him guilty of espionage.
As an additional punishment, the court appointed him a fine in the amount of one hundred thousand rubles.

Closed court

“Motivations were not read out. The lawyer fought off four counts of border crossing. And the court exempted Kokhver from legal costs,” said journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva. The trial took place behind closed doors.

Russian intelligence services detained Kokhver in September 2014 of the year on the Russian border with Estonia. He was charged with espionage, smuggling and carrying weapons, as well as illegally crossing the state border.

The FSB claimed that Kokhver was detained on the Russian side of the border during an undercover operation. At the same time, Estonia claims that armed people kidnapped him from Estonian territory, near the Luhamaa border point, when he participated in an operation to prevent a crime at the border.

According to the Estonian authorities, unknown persons used physical force on Kochver and threatened them with weapons, after which they took him to Russia.

The Russian FSB claims that its officers stopped an Estonian intelligence operation. It was reported that Kohver was allegedly seized from a Taurus pistol with ammunition, 5000 euros, special equipment for secret audio recording, as well as materials that were “in the nature of an intelligence mission.”