Another Estonian court finds Toobal, Laasi guilty

Photo: Liis Treimann / Postimees

Estonia's Tallinn circuit court on Tuesday found MPs Lauri Laasi and Priit Toobal as well as the Center Party guilty of several offenses, including unauthorized surveillance, but the defendants have decided to take the case to the Supreme Court.

The court agreed with the resolution of the first-tier court but added its own argumentations to the main part.

The defendants have 30 days to appeal the decision in Estonia's top court, and Toobal, Laasi as well as the Center Party have decided to do so.

«Of course we are not happy with today's decision and will appeal it to the Supreme Court,» Laasi and Toobal said. «It is clearly a political process. We do not see ourselves as guilty and therefore we will take the fight to the Supreme Court and will not step down from our positions,» they added.

The Center Party will also appeal the decision.

The Harju county court on Oct. 17 also found Center Party MPs Toobal and Laasi as well as Ivor Onksion guilty of unauthorized surveillance and violation of confidentiality of messages.

The court found that the guilt of Toobal and Laasi of instigation to unauthorized surveillance and violation of confidentiality of messages has been proven as well as the guilt of Toobal of counterfeiting a document. In addition, the court found that the guilt of the Center Party as a legal person as well as the guilt of Onksion of unauthorized surveillance and violation of confidentiality of messages have been proven.

According to the court's decision Onksion would have to pay 640 euros, while Laasi received a suspended sentence of one month with three years' probation and Toobal a suspended sentence of one year with a probation of three years. The Center Party would have to pay 10,000 euros in addition to procedure expenses.

According to the prosecutor the guilt of Toobal and Laasi of instigation to unauthorized surveillance and violation of confidentiality of messages has been proven as well as the guilt of Toobal of counterfeiting a document. The prosecutor added that the guilt of the Center Party as a legal person as well as the guilt of Onksion of unauthorized surveillance and violation of confidentiality of messages have been proven.

The prosecutor asked for a conditional sentence of one year and three months for Toobal with three years of probation and for a conditional sentence of one year with three years of probation for Laasi. For the Center Party the prosecutor asked for a pecuniary punishment of 20,000 euros and for Onksion a pecuniary punishment of 250 daily rates which for the defendant is 800 euros.

The defenders requested for the defendants to be cleared of charges.

Toobal and Laasi pleaded not guilty while Onksion pleaded partially guilty.

The parliament at the end of last March agreed with the proposal of the chancellor of justice to strip MPs Toobal and Laasi of their immunity.