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Viewing cable 07TALLINN309, REPORTS OF POLICE ABUSE UNFOUNDED

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07TALLINN309 2007-05-10 14:44 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tallinn
VZCZCXRO1358
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTL #0309/01 1301444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101444Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9815
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2496
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 1183
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TALLINN 000309 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NB - VICTORIA MIDDLETON, KEITH ANDERTON, AND 
JAMES LOVELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL RS EN
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF POLICE ABUSE UNFOUNDED 
 
REF: MOSCOW 2086 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  Post has uncovered no concrete evidence 
of police abuses during the Bronze Soldier riots April 26-27. 
Investigations of a small number of complaints are on-going. 
Of the 1,300 individuals taken into custody during and after 
the riots, about 300 are facing riot-related charges and 55 
are being detained pending further investigation.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Last week, a local Russian-language newspaper ran a 
series of articles about the Bronze Soldier riots, including 
an excerpt from the International Helsinki Foundation (IHF) 
for Human Rights, which called on Estonian authorities to 
investigate reports that the police used disproportionate 
force against riot participants.  According to IHF, some 
protesters were reportedly hit with batons, beaten and 
mistreated after being taken into custody at the temporary 
detention facility established in a terminal at the Tallinn 
port.  IHF claims that some cases of "apparent" police 
brutality were documented by TV broadcasts and cell phone 
recordings.  In contrast, the Estonian Institute for 
Human Rights told Poloff that it has not received any 
complaints concerning the use of excessive police force 
during the same period.  The Institute representative we spoke to 
stated that rumors of excessive force are likely based on TV 
news footage where people saw, for example, suspects being 
held sitting on the ground awaiting transport to jail. 
Estonia's Legal Chancellor of Justice, Allar Joks, has been 
engaged in monitoring police actions throughout the riots and 
has personally visited many of the individuals currently in 
police custody.  Joks reportedly received no complaints 
during his visits. 
 
3.  (SBU) On May 7, a local Russian-language tabloid 
published an interview with North Estonian Police Prefect Raivo Kuut. 
Kuut stated that although some innocent bystanders were 
arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, none 
of them were kept in custody for more than 12 hours.  (Note: 
Under Estonian law, an individual can only be held by police 
without a court order for 48 hours.  End Note.)  Kuut argued 
that the riots called for quick and organized action, and 
called for people to report any incidences of police cruelty 
so that they can be investigated.  Approximately 1,300 
individuals were detained by police in association with the 
riots.  To date, police have received a total of 12 formal 
complaints asserting the use of excessive force.  Local and 
state prosecutors plan to conduct investigations into all 
complaints.  Prosecutors have not yet found grounds to charge 
any police officers with misconduct. 
 
4.  (SBU) Post contacted the Northern Police Prefecture 
regarding the IHF report.  The public affairs office declined 
to comment, noting they had not received an official 
communication from the organization.  The Prosecutor's office 
stated that out of everyone initially taken into custody, 55 
people are still being held on suspicion of riot-related 
crimes.  Court orders allow those individuals to remain in 
custody for up to six months while a case is being built. The 
Prosecutor's office told us, however, that some individuals 
could be released sooner. The total number of people facing 
riot-related charges is approximately 300. 
 
5.  (SBU) Disorderly conduct, theft, and resisting arrest are 
the principle charges against those in court-ordered custody. 
Among those being held is ethnic-Russian high school student 
Mark Siryk, who is accused of being one of the riot's 
principle organizers.  The Estonian Criminal Central Police 
told us that Siryk is being investigated for sending out SMS 
messages calling Russians to gather at the Bronze Soldier on 
the night April 26th.  He allegedly promised each individual 
80 Estonian Crowns per hour for their efforts.  This arrest 
has garnered some attention from protestors in Moscow.  (See 
reftel.)  Another ethnic Russian individual in custody is 
being investigated by the police in connection with the 
stabbing and death of Russian citizen Dmitry Ganin on the 
first night of the riots. 
 
6.  (SBU) RSO's initial assessment, based on conversations 
with the police and personal observations, is that the police 
responded appropriately.  He has not witnessed any examples 
of excessive police force either personally, in the media, or on 
internet sites such as "YouTube."  (Note:  A significant 
amount of amateur video footage of the riots is available on 
the YouTube website.  End Note.)  Police used only non-lethal 
means to subdue non-compliant demonstrators.  All methods 
utilized by police appeared to be commensurate with the 
 
TALLINN 00000309  002 OF 002 
 
 
threats posed by demonstrators. 
 
7.  (SBU) Comment:  While it is not impossible that police 
abuses have occurred in isolated cases, Post's initial 
assessment is that the Estonian police forces have, as a 
whole, conducted themselves in an appropriate manner.  We 
will continue to monitor police actions and investigations into 
specific complaints. 
PHILLIPS