Kohver's Defendant: Case Will Take at Least Half a Year
Yevgeni Aksyonov, the Russian state-appointed lawyer for the captured counterintelligence official Eston Kohver, said the full court proceedings will take at least half a year.
Asked by ERR's corespondent in Moscow, Neeme Raud, why he did not contest the arrest of Kohver, Aksyonov said it is part of the defense's strategy. He said asking for Kohver to be released on bail on house arrest would have been turned down in any case, as he has no residence in Russia.
“Stemming from what Mr. Kohver was charged with – he is not accused of crossing the border, the investigation has not tackled the question of the weapon, which he had on him, has not focused the special video and audio recording equipment, my tactic in defending the client ... considering his job at Kapo (ISS) ... I would not like to explain my strategy to the public, but it is based on an observed and holistic familiarization of the charges against him, and to defend his interests to the full,” he said.
Asked if Aksyonov believes Kohver is guilty of the charges Russia is filing, he just said he will do all in his power to get him released.
Aksyonov said he has met Kohver twice, and will meet again if investigators of Kohver himself asks for meetings. He said he has already forwarded messages from Kohver to his wife, to representatives of the ISS and to the Estonian embassy in Moscow.
He said it is his first case involving the FSB, the Russian federal security service.