Riigikogu committee to meet with chief prosecutor over Savisaar file leak
The Legal Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu has decided to invite Prosecutor General Lavly Perling to join its meeting on Monday to discuss with her the leaking to the media of information with limited access gathered in the course of a criminal investigation as well as the ensuring of fair justice.
"There's strange material being forwarded to the press which may prevent a fair trial," committee chairman Jaanus Karilaid (Center) told BNS on Thursday regarding the recent publication by daily Postimees of alleged excerpts of the indictment filed by prosecutors against Tallinn's suspended mayor Edgar Savisaar (Center) and several businesspeople.
"The Legal Affairs Committee is also considering proposing that the Minister of Justice initiate an internal investigation," added the MP.
The newspaper's editorial staff has stated that the file did not leak from the Office of the Prosecutor General.
"The office of the country's chief prosecutor should tell the Legal Affairs Committee in more detail what is going on — who is behind this leak, what were its motives, how a fair trial will be ensured and whether changes have been made to laws," Karilaid said.
"We are certainly not saying at this point that the Prosecutor's Office was the one that leaked it, but we do need clarity," he continued, adding that regardless of whether it was lawyers for the defense or some of the people accused who leaked it, what must be ascertained is whose interests this confusion is in and how situations like this could be prevented in the future.
Karilaid said that the proposal to summon Perling to appear before the Legal Affairs Committee was unanimous on the committee members' part and noted that while the committee could likewise invite lawyers for the defense to its meeting, the latter would not be obliged to attend.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS