Legal certainty held in esteemEstonia occupies 14th place among 113 countries in the World Justice Project's recent Rule of Law Index published last week. The pack is led by four Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, while other countries ahead of Estonia all sport a far higher standard of living than the Baltic Sea country.Local News
Estonian formin discusses state of democracy in Turkey after coup attemptEstonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand, who is visiting the Turkish capital Ankara in her capacity as chairman of the 47-nation Council of Europe, at Wednesday's meeting with Turkey's leaders discussed topics concerning human rights, rule of law and democracy.Estonian news
«I stay away from the Al-Qaeda and Taliban bunch and mind my own business» Ship guard answers our questions from prison in IndiaIt's quite a feat for the ship guards to talk to loved ones. Cannot call over the phone, no Internet... The usual is for acquaintances to take letters into the prison, and then take the answers out. My interview with Lauri Ader went via his mother emailing back and forth with people in India.Estonian news
Fraudster, saint or two-faced Janus?Court verdicts say that the businessman Raivo Paala is a hardened veteran fraudster who has tried to cheat the state with hundreds of millions of euros. Meanwhile, Mr Paala has this other face of an uncompromising fighter for human rights.Local News
Iran is interested in EstoniaThe first ever Estonian politician to officially visit Iran, foreign minister Marina Kaljurand was soon to experience a plague of the exhaust-smoky Tehran streets called traffic jam.Economy
National language giving ground to RussianLeading Estonian linguists and even transport business is troubled by sneak attack of Russian language into official services environment and think the increasingly public plans by politicians to support that is populist, demeaning and an embarrassing attempt to paper the problem over.Economy
Estonia to take Romeo Kalda case to Grand Chamber of ECHRThe Estonian government decided on Thursday to take the legal dispute between life inmate Romeo Kalda and the government over the use of interner in jail before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).Local News
Rigid law obstructs humane approach Police and Border Guard on Albanian family exceptionPolice and Border Guard Board (PPA) deputy director-general Priit Pärkna says migration office has been at pains to find a way to remain in Estonia for the Albanian family successfully adapted. Even so, the officials are now looking to lawgivers as humane decisions are hindered by stiffness of current law.Local News
«Hope you get raped»A bunch of people with racist mindsets are having an internet threat campaign ranging from Facebook entries to phone calls and messages. Whoever dares to speak out against xenophobia is a likely target. Underneath, find four stories.Local News
Ukrainian separatist appeals extradition decision in European human rights courtEstonian citizen Vladimir Poljakov, who the Estonian government in December decided to extradite to Ukraine because he allegedly fought in the ranks of separatists in eastern Ukraine, has submitted a notice of appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Interfax reports.Local News
Lifelong prisoner beats Estonia in European Court of Human RightsJailed for life after killing a policeman, Romeo Kalda defeated Estonian state in European Court of Human Rights regarding internet use dispute.Local News
Allegedly, Khodorkovsky financed projects via ASBL in EstoniaRussian government-minded media is speaking about a Estonia-registered non-profit association through which Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an opponent to president Vladimir Putin, allegedly financed his projects and supporters in Russia.Local News
European Parliament calls on Russia to free Estonian security officialEuropean Parliament calls on Russia to free the abducted Estonian security police official, Eston Kohver.Local News
Editorial: let's keep what's worth keepingYesterday's arson of Vao refugees center is to be addressed as it truly was: a crime intentionally endangering the lives of over 50 people including 13 kids. This is the primary issue to be considered and based our actions on. The culprit must be caught and punished. The understanding was shared by majority of parties at Riigikogu, yesterday. Worrisome, at that, is EKRE not thinking it necessary to mention that.Opinion
Kohver kept in isolatorTill the trial is in process, Eston Kohver is being held in Isolator No 1 of Pskov Prison.Estonian news
Eston Kohver trial kicks into gearYesterday, the long awaited legal process regarding Eston Kohver went into motion at Pskov Oblast courthouse. The Estonian security police (the Kapo) officer stands accused in espionage, illegal border crossing, firearm possession and the smuggling thereof.Estonian news
Estonian news outlet Delfi loses comments debate in European courtThe European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday announced a long-awaited Grand Chamber judgment in the comments debate between Delfi and the Estonian state, which found that the internet news portal was liable for the offensive comments posted by its readers.Local News
Consul again meets with Estonian security official in MoscowEstonian consul on Wednesday once again met with abducted security police officer Eston Kohver at the Lefortovo prison in Moscow where he is being detained.Estonian news
Estonia accepts Guantanamo prisonerOn the basis of a decision of the Estonian government from Oct. 9 last year to grant a request of the United States government, a Yemeni national released from the detention center at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, arrived in Estonia on Wednesday afternoon.Local News
Editorial: hard potatoes and court overloadsA year ago, European Court of Human Rights happened to satisfy appeal by inmate against Estonian state. A drug lab manager was distressed by lack of sporting options behind bars. After that, complaints by prisoners snowballed to exceed appeals to Tartu Administrative Court by people at liberty – 1,100 out of 1,800 filed from jail. The said court is suffering the worst, located in region of the major prisons.Opinion
State seeking solution to cut serial complainingJustice ministry law policy vice chancellor Kai Härmand says they are seeking solutions to deal with avalanche of appeals by inmates.Local News
Complaints by prisoners clogging up courtsTartu Administrative Court is groaning under unprecedented avalanche of complaints by inmates. Of the total 1,800 this year, a whopping 62 percent – 1,100 – have been written by those behind bars. As recently as last year, such complaints were less than half of that, standing at 450. Demands by prisoners are illustrated by sessions schedule at the court.Local News
Fresh foreign minister casts Rõivas as long term top squirrelAfter two weeks as foreign minister, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus (Reform Party) promises to keep reminding her Western colleagues about the security police officer Eston Kohver case and hopes the Estonian ship guards held in India will be back home pretty soon.Local News
Baltic presidents receive Golden Victoria award in BerlinThe German magazine publishers' association VDZ on Thursday, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, presented its Golden Victoria European of the Year award to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.Local News
Human rights activists say Eston Kohver «calm and coping»Members of Moscow Public Oversight Commission for Prisons (POCP) are the only independents currently allowed to visit Estonia’s Eston Kohver, accused in espionage by FSB, right in the prison cell at Lefortovo, Moscow jailhouse. Estonian Security Police says the man was snatched by FSB while on duty at Estonia-Russia border.Local News
Editorial: Estonia – example of staying freeDefending Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius is just as important as defending Berlin, Paris and London – a highlight from the US President Barack Obama’s speech in Tallinn, yesterday. Naturally, we need this assurance of unshakeable dedication. We need it declared to ourselves, to some lazy-like allies, and most of all to the potential aggressor.Opinion
Jean-Claude Juncker: Ukrainian LessonsThe challenge the Ukrainian crisis poses to the European Union's foreign and security policy can be precisely measured: 50 metres - the distance between the Justus Lipsius building where the heads of EU governments hold their regular summits, and the Berlaymont headquarters of the European Commission just across the road.Opinion
Border Guard committee cuts numbers of refugees in EstoniaAs revealed by human rights report published yesterday, conditions for refugees in Estonia have improved. Meanwhile, their numbers are in decline. As a reason for that, Estonian Human Rights Centre (EIK) legal expert Anni Säär cites a committee formed by Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB), a year ago.Local News
Estonian Human Rights Center slams politicians for overlooking equal treatmentDespite some positive developments that have taken place in the field of equal treatment in Estonia over the past year, politicians' readiness to deal with the topic remains low, the Estonian Human Rights Center said on Tuesday.Local News
Estonia lacking natl institution for human rights - rights activistsThere is no national institution in Estonia responsible for the protection of human rights in an integrated and systemic manner like there exist in most other European Union member states, and whose establishment has been called for by the United Nations Organization, among others, the Estonian Human Rights Center said.Local News
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