Lawyer for Kohver hands FSB new materials

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Photo: RTV.ru

Yesterday, Eston Kohver’s defence lawyer claimed he failed to receive all documents from Estonia needed to help prove his client’s innocence.

Jevgeni Aksjonov, the lawyer appointed to Eston Kohver by the Russian state said he obtained documents sent by Estonian Security Police and Border Guard via Estonian embassy, needed for the defence, and has passed these onto FSB investigator Mr Mikrjukov appointed to Mr Kohver’s case.

According to Mr Aksjonov, we are talking about documents which confirm stands taken by the defence. Asked if that would mean documents proving Mr Kohver was on Estonian soil while caught, the lawyer answered thus: «As you yourself understand, I cannot disclose these documents to you but it is regarding the accusation presented against Mr Kohver. As we know, he stands accused in espionage.»

Mr Aksjonov added that regrettably he failed to receive from Estonia all the documents he asked for via the embassy. FSB apprehended security police officer Eston Kohver on September 5th. According to FSB version, prior to being arrested Mr Kohver repeatedly met on Russian territory with a FSB employee recruiting him for cooperation.

For money, they claim, Mr Kohver desired data regarding FSB Pechory department staff and people in secret cooperation with them. Estonian Security Police insists Mr Kohver was near Estonia-Russia boundary line while carrying out an operation related to smuggling.

At that, Security Police is adamant Mr Kohver remained on Estonian soil for the entire time, at border port No 121, from whence FSB snatched him and took into Russia by force.

Yesterday, Mr Kohver was in his fourth interrogation at the FSB investigator, but Mr Aksjonov said they have still not come to the essential interrogations.

Mainly, the time has been consumed to the weapon confiscated from Mr Kohver, additional questions related to technical expert assessment, and daily issues.

At the previous interrogations on October 8th, the lawyer filed petition to let Mr Kohver be examined by an Estonian doctor. According to Mr Aksjonov, to this the investigator agrees; however, a final say for the doctor to arrive is needed from chief of the Lefortovo preliminary investigation prison. So far, the prison chief has given no reply.

The FSB investigator also agreed for Mr Kohver to call his wife from the prison. According to the lawyer, Mr Kohver may make the phone call as soon as the Estonian embassy sends him the telephone cards and an interpreter is able to come to the prison. The Estonian language phone call needs to be simultaneously interpreted into Russian for the prison staff.

Yesterday, the Lawyer was able to forward to Mr Kohver a parcel with Estonian newspapers and magazines from the embassy.

According to the lawyer he has not yet been notified when the court will deliberate the arrest to be extended by another two months. The current arrest date is November 5th; even so, the day before that is a national holiday in Russia with courts not working.

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