Support The Moscow Times!

Estonian Policeman Does Not Appeal 15-Year Russian Sentence

Estonian internal security officer Eston Kohver, sentenced by a Russian court to 15 years in prison for espionage last month, did not appeal his sentence, which therefore come into force Friday, Interfax reported.

Previously, Kohver's lawyer Yevgeny Aksyonov told Interfax that his client had not asked him to appeal the sentence.

FSB officers detained Kohver on Russia's border with Estonia in September last year. He was accused of crossing the border illegally while carrying firearms. Estonian authorities argued that Kohver was illegally detained on Estonian territory.

Brussels and Washington said Russia violated international law in their handling of the case and expressed concern that Kohver's rights to a proper legal defense were violated. In August, the Estonian government announced plans to build a fence along its eastern border with Russia.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more