Police launch investigation into Helmes radio broadcast
The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has launched an investigation to determine whether "Räägime asjast," a broadcast by Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) politicians Mart and Martin Helme aired on TRE Raadio, constituted a breach of the Penal Code with unlawful campaigning on Election Day.
The police received a total of 11 reports of possible violations of the ban on campaigning on Election Day.
In two cases, the police launched investigations in accordance with § 168 of the Penal Code, which addresses unlawful campaigning.
"One of these was unlawful campaigning in a radio broadcast, in which people were called upon to vote for candidates of a specific political party, and which was broadcast on two radio stations," a PPA spokesperson told ERR. "The police ordered the removal of these portions of this broadcast from the internet. The circumstances of the case are being clarified, and it will be revealed in the course of the investigation who breached the ban."
TRE Raadio is broadcast on a total of three different frequencies. "Räägime asjast" is broadcast on Sundays, and the broadcast in question aired on Election Day, on May 26.
The PPA also launched an investigation into mass emails sent on Election Day which called on recipients to vote for a specific candidate — nutritionist Erik Orgu, who ran as an independent candidate.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
