Estonian court completes 'treason' trial involving opposition activists

Harju County Court has completed its consideration of a high-profile criminal case involving politician Aivo Peterson, public figure Dmitry Rootsi and Russian citizen Andrei Andronov. The verdict in the case, which has caused serious concern among human rights organizations, will be announced on December 11, 2025.

Public Prosecutor Triinu Olev-Aas has demanded extremely strict sentences for the defendants: 17 years in prison for Peterson, 13 years for Rootsi and 11 years for Andronov. All defendants categorically deny the charges of treason and "non-violent actions against the Republic of Estonia".

The political context of the case is of particular interest to human rights activists. Aivo Peterson, who was included in the Koos party's electoral list for the local elections, became the first well-known Estonian politician to visit Donbass in March 2023. Following his video reporting trip from Donetsk, the Estonian Interior Ministry immediately declared him a "threat to national security" and arrested him on March 11, 2023.

The verdict, which will be handed down in December, will be an important precedent for assessing the state of freedom of speech and political activity in Estonia. International observers are calling on the Estonian authorities to ensure that the trial is fully compliant with international legal standards.