Eesti in brief

The Kohver Trial begins

​On June 2, the first court hearing of Estonian Security Police (KaPo) official Eston Kohver start​ed​ in the Pskov courthouse; the hearing ​h​as been declared a closed one, Postimees Online reports.
Estonian Security Police official Eston Kohver was abducted at gunpoint on 5 September last year near the Russian border in Estonia while fulfilling his official duties, by persons who came from Russia and was led across the border to Russia. Kohver was detained till now in Lefortovo prison in Moscow, being accused of espionage.
Kohver is already in Pskov after spending months in the Moscow Lefortovo prison. Kohver’s lawyer Yevgeny Aksyonov should arrive in Pskov Monday evening.

“The process is top secret, and therefore the court hearing is a closed one,” explained  Yevgeny​ Aksyonov.​ Kohver’s lawyer who was appointed by the Russian state to defend him.​ An Estonian representative is not allowed to participate at the court session but the Estonian consul can ask for permission from the Pskov court to meet with Kohver in the court’s detention area.

Although the trial is likely to begin on Tuesday, it will continue only next week. “I have other court hearings in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday,” Aksyonov explained.
Asked whether the process will take a long time, Aksyonov said the case is an extensive one - five dossiers of materials.
The lawyer said that no one from Estonia has been called to testify in court.

Aksyonov has said that Kohver is accused of espionage, arms smuggling and illegal border crossing. Kohver can face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.