On 4th of November, the Estonian Internal Security Service arrested Oleg Bessedin. He is suspected of non-violent acts against the Republic of Estonia and violation of international sanctions. The Harju District Court committed the suspect in custody based on the application of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to the suspicion, Bessedin has been participating in Russia’s information influence activities in cooperation with people acting in the interests of Russian special services at least since 2022.
“We have pointed out the security threats connected to Bessedin’s activity in our institution’s annual reviews and public addresses before. Today, there are grounds to suspect Bessedin of a criminal offence against the state,” said Taavi Narits, Deputy Director General of the Estonian Internal Security Service. “The objective of the Kremlin’s influence activity that Bessedin was a part of based on the suspicion was creating opportunities for Russia to interfere in the internal matters of the Republic of Estonia,” stated Narits.
Among other things, Bessedin is suspected of transmitting the content of Russian media channels that have been subjected to sanctions on multiple occasions. This means violating a sanction of the European Union, which is a criminal offence against peace.
Chief State Prosecutor Taavi Pern said: “Non-violent activities against the Republic of Estonia, which are directed against our independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity are also punishable as criminal offences against the state in Estonia. Therefore, active and intentional participation in Russia’s influence activities is punishable as well. Based on the suspicion, Bessedin’s activities went beyond the limits of freedom of discussion protected under the Estonian constitution and transformed into targeted activity in the interests of a state hostile towards Estonia.”
The suspicion proceeds from subsection 1 of § 233 of the Penal Code, non-violent acts committed by an alien against the Republic of Estonia, and subsection 1 of § 931 of the Penal Code, violation of international sanctions. The pre-trial proceedings are conducted by the Estonian Internal Security Service and directed by the Office of the Prosecutor General.