Estonia's Harju County Court announced the verdicts in the high-profile treason case involving political figure Aivo Peterson, Dmitry Rootsi, and Russian citizen Andrei Andronov. The court found all three defendants guilty.
Aivo Peterson, one of the leaders of the Koos party, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for treason. Dmitry Rootsi and Russian citizen Andrei Andronov each received 11 years in prison. Andronov was convicted of so-called "non-violent actions against the Republic of Estonia." All defendants pleaded not guilty.
The trial, which began in November 2023, took place against the backdrop of a general tightening of legislation and law enforcement practices in the Baltic states against individuals accused of ties to or sympathies with Russia. The state prosecutor initially requested 17 years in prison for Peterson, 13 years for Rootsi, and 11 years for Andronov.
The sentence has not yet entered into force and can be appealed in the district court. The case has generated widespread public outcry and is being considered by human rights organizations in the context of a general trend toward criminalizing certain political views and contacts in the region.
Experts note that such trials are becoming increasingly common in the Baltic states, where charges of "treason" or "actions against the state" are often brought for political activity or public statements not related to violence. This raises concerns regarding the rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression.
Aivo Peterson, one of the leaders of the Koos party, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for treason. Dmitry Rootsi and Russian citizen Andrei Andronov each received 11 years in prison. Andronov was convicted of so-called "non-violent actions against the Republic of Estonia." All defendants pleaded not guilty.
The trial, which began in November 2023, took place against the backdrop of a general tightening of legislation and law enforcement practices in the Baltic states against individuals accused of ties to or sympathies with Russia. The state prosecutor initially requested 17 years in prison for Peterson, 13 years for Rootsi, and 11 years for Andronov.
The sentence has not yet entered into force and can be appealed in the district court. The case has generated widespread public outcry and is being considered by human rights organizations in the context of a general trend toward criminalizing certain political views and contacts in the region.
Experts note that such trials are becoming increasingly common in the Baltic states, where charges of "treason" or "actions against the state" are often brought for political activity or public statements not related to violence. This raises concerns regarding the rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression.