Peterson traveled to the occupied cities of Mariupol and Donetsk and appeared on the television channel "Zvezda."
The Harju County Court found pro-Russian politicians Aivo Peterson and Dmitry Rootsi guilty of treason. The court also found their accomplice, Russian citizen Andrey Andronov, guilty of non-violent activities against Estonia.
Aivo Peterson, one of the leaders of the pro-Russian party Koos (“Together”), was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Dmitry Rootsi and Andrey Andronov received 11 years each.
According to the investigation, Peterson and Rootsi maintained contact with representatives of the Russian military intelligence (GRU), discussed political cooperation, and the creation of civil defense units that would "perform military functions in the event of a political vacuum." Peterson himself stated that the units should fulfill a humanitarian function. However, the prosecution believes this is an attempt to create an underground defense structure.
During the trial, it became known that Andronov organized tours to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, in which Peterson participated, and later published materials supporting Russia's actions. Peterson traveled to the occupied cities of Mariupol and Donetsk and appeared on the television channel "Zvezda," which is owned by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
"The defendants consciously assisted Russia in such a way that their activities were directed against Estonian society and the state. The threat to the security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Estonia requires decisive intervention by the state. Recent events clearly show that Russia is doing everything possible to weaken and divide its neighbors," stated State Prosecutor Triinu Oleva-Aas earlier.
The convicted individuals do not admit their guilt, and their defense insisted that they were exercising their right to freedom of speech. All three were detained in March 2023.
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