One year since Eston Kohver was abducted by Russia
On Saturday, September 5, a year passed since the operatives of the Federal Security Service (FSB) illegally entered the territory of and kidnapped by force an officer of the Internal Security Service (ISS) of Estonia, Eston Kohver.
On the occasion, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said that Estonians should spare a thought for Kohver and his family – a wife and four children. “Let our thoughts and hopes support him and his family while he is waiting to be released,” Ilves said, adding that Estonia is continuing its daily effort to get Kohver freed.
Kohver was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Pskov court on August 19. The court proceedings were described as a “show trial” by many Estonian politicians.
The Russian prosecution accused Kohver on espionage and for illegally crossing into Russia and for carrying an illegal firearm.
The United States and European Union have both called Russia to release Eston Kohver immediately. Many experts have predicted that Russia will swap Kohver to one of its former agents, imprisoned in the West.
Editor: S. Tambur