Estonia arrests 65-y-o woman as suspect in violation of international sanction

The picture shows an anti-terrorism exercise by Internal Security Service. Photo: Toomas Huik

The Tallinn-based Harju County Court has approved custody for a 65-year-old woman, identified by her first name as Tatjana, who is suspected of the violation of an international sanction.

According to the suspicion prepared by prosecutors and the Internal Security Service (ISS), the woman disposed of the funds of the Russian Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, an entity subject to sanctions, and made available in Estonia an amount of approximately 50,000 euros, with which the fund aimed to finance the legal costs of a person being tried in criminal proceedings in Estonia.

«Through the Russian compatriots foundation, the Kremlin is trying to divide Estonia. Also after the aggression in Ukraine and after being placed on the sanctions list, they try to continue covert activities that threaten Estonia's security,» Taavi Narits, deputy director general of the ISS, said in a press release on Thursday. "The activities of the Russian compatriots foundation pose a threat to Estonia's security, and we are taking decisive action to prevent and counteract the threat posed by the foundation.

The court took the suspect into custody Wednesday at the request of the Office of the Prosecutor General. Chief State Prosecutor Taavi Pern stressed that the European Union has imposed sanctions on various Russian organizations whose activities could pose a threat to European security.

«When communicating with Russian authorities and conducting business with them, it is important to be aware that Russia is a country hostile towards Europe, and therefore, one must be extremely cautious. Violating sanctions is a crime, it supports Russia's aggression in Ukraine and threatens security in the European Union. Cooperation with individuals or entities operating in the interests of Russian intelligence services may constitute an offense against the state. Therefore, we will thoroughly investigate the activities of the suspect in the further proceedings to determine the facts as accurately as possible and assess whether there is grounds to present charges against anyone else as part of the investigation,» the chief state prosecutor said.

The Russian Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad is on the EU sanctions list since June 2023. The foundation was founded and is financed by the Russian Federation with the aim of fulfilling the foreign policy goals of the Russian government. It plays an important supporting role in implementing the Russian government politics of division. The analytical reviews of the experts of the foundation are used to confirm the main propaganda messages of the Kremlin, including that neo-Nazism and xenophobia are encouraged by the Ukrainian authorities. Unfounded accusations of Nazism, Russophobia, and massive persecution of Russian-speaking people are used by the foundation, in line with Kremlin policy, to create instability and division in many neighboring countries of Russia.

The EU Council decision prohibits making funds and economic resources available to sanctioned persons. Such making available of funds must also be considered to include the creation of the possibility of disposing of funds belonging to a sanctioned person, the press release says.