Off the wire
• Burkina Faso dissolves pro-coup elite army unit, freezes assets of 18 perpetrators  • Burkina Faso dissolves pro-coup elite army unit and freezes assets of 18 perpetrators  • Africa Focus: Africa unravels from shackles of war as world commits to new dev't goals  • Israel arrests 4 Palestinians for deadly stone-throwing attack  • Israel to penalize IDF soldiers for assaulting journalists in West Bank  • Further use of nuclear weapons would be "horrific": UN chief  • Ban, Zuma meet on peace, security in Africa  • Ban meets president of Uruguay on UN peacekeeping operations  • Iran nuclear deal to improve environmental cooperation in region: Rouhani  • China's top political advisor calls on Chinese entrepreneurs to contribute more to world cooperation  
You are here: 　 Home

Estonian security official held by Russia released

Xinhua, September 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) official Eston Kohver was released on Saturday by Russia in exchange for Aleksei Dressen, a former ISS employee imprisoned in Estonia for espionage for Russia.

Kohver had been held in Russia for 13 months.

Estonian Interior Minister Hanno Pevkur and the ISS held a press conference in Tartu, which was also attended by ISS chief Arnold Sinisalu, and Kohver himself, the Estonian Public Broadcasting reported.

Russian Interfax news agency reported that the prisoners were swapped at the Russian-Estonian border in southeastern Estonia. The exchange took place on a bridge across the Piusa river. Two border checkpoints were closed during the procedure.

Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas, who turned 36 on Saturday, said the phone call from Pevkur on the release of Kohver was "the best birthday present he could have imagined."

Kohver, an ISS employee, was abducted from Estonian territory on Sept. 5, 2014 as claimed by the Estonian authorities, "while investigating cross-border crime". He was later sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Russian authorities on Aug. 19 for alleged espionage, carrying illegal firearms and crossing the border illegally.

Estonia said the entire trial was a farce and Kohver was never in Russia, while Russia said he was captured near Pskov, near the Estonian border. The dispute between both sides over the issue lasted for more than a year.

Dressen was sentenced by Estonian authorities to 16 years in 2012 for treason and handing Russia sensitive information. Dressen's wife, who received a suspended sentence in 2012 for aiding her husband, arrived in Russia earlier, Interfax reported. ISS said they cannot confirm this, as she has repeatedly moved between the two countries.

Kohver gave a short statement at Saturday's press conference saying that "I'm happy to be home."

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves expressed his joy at seeing Eston Kohver released and thanked all those involved in ensuring his safe return to Estonia. Endit