Estonia's Internal Security Service also investigating war crimes committed in Ukraine

  • 2022-03-30
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN – The Internal Security Service (ISS) of Estonia has started investigating war crimes committed in Ukraine.

The criminal proceedings were opened on the basis of universal jurisdiction, which allows the  investigative bodies of Estonia to investigate also international crimes committed outside Estonia, spokespeople for the ISS told BNS.

As things stand, the activities of the ISS consist primarily of collecting evidence available in Estonia and of evidence on cases related to Estonia.

"To date, the first procedural acts have been conducted in the criminal proceedings. The proceedings are conducted by the ISS and overseen by the Office of the Prosecutor General," the spokespeople said.

Similar criminal proceedings have been initiated by Ukraine and several other countries.

The ISS and the prosecutor's office are actively engaging in international cooperation in the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

This is the first criminal proceeding in Estonia focusing on grave international crimes committed in the 21st century.

Estonia has previous experience in investigating international crimes committed by the Soviet and Nazi German occupation authorities.