cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43814573
One of the leaders of the pro-Russian Koos party and Estonian citizen Aivo Peterson was sentenced to 14 years in prison for treason by Harju District Court on Thursday.
The trial, which began in November 2023, dealt with allegations of treason against Estonian citizens Peterson and Dmitri Rootsi, as well as claims that Peterson and Russian citizen Andrei Andronov acted to undermine Estonia’s independence.
The charges were connected to meetings with Russian politicians, aligning policy positions, the organization of an independent civil defense organization, and a Russian-funded press trip to occupied Ukraine.
According to the indictment, Peterson and Rootsi, based on instructions received from Russia, knowingly and in an organized manner assisted Russia and people acting on behalf of Russian authorities in non-violent activities directed against the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Estonia from October 2022 to March 10, 2023.
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acting on behalf of Russian authorities in non-violent activities directed against the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Estonia from October 2022 to March 10, 2023.
What exactly did he do?
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I have done some googling. I am not sure what to make out of this, translated by deepL. A paramilitary branch doesn’t seem to have been established yet.
According to the indictment, the defendants participated in conscious influence activities aimed at creating a political association in Estonia that would support Russia’s foreign and security policy narratives and propaganda messages. According to the indictment, the aim of this association was to create an opportunity for Russia to threaten Estonia’s constitutional order, interfere in Estonia’s internal politics, and influence its foreign policy. [17] The civil defense unit to be created under the Koos movement, which was to be presented to the public as a charitable organization, was to fill the role of the army in a power vacuum.
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