TALLINN - The Northern prefecture of the Estonian police force has completed proceedings in all cases opened against participants in the April 2007 rioting by the middle of January, it has confirmed. The Eastern prefecture had finished its investigations already, meaning that a line may now be drawn under the notorious affair.
The North prefecture launched 33 criminal cases on the basis of Penal Code articles dealing with committing an offense during mass disorder, grave breach of public order, violence against a representative of state power and theft.
During the street violence at the end of April 2007, a total of 426 persons were detained as suspects in Tallinn and the adjoining Harjumaa region. By mid-January, the cases against 266 persons had been closed without bringing charges and 156 cases had been forwarded to the regional prosecutor's office for a decision.
Data from the Viru regional prosecutor's office show that 40 criminal cases were opened in connection with the disturbances in the northeastern part of the country, of which 19 were in the town of Johvi, 6 each in Narva, Sillamae and Kohtla-Jarve, 2 in Kivioli and 1 in the Vaivara rural municipality. The Penal Code articles on which the proceedings were based cover offenses such as grave breach of public order, holding an unauthorized public meeting, illegal entry, resistance to law officers, illegal handling of explosives, and others.
To date, sentences in 19 Virumaa cases have come into force. Sixteen proceedings were closed without pressing charges and four cases are still in court. One file is at the prosecutor's office waiting to be forwarded to court.
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