Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the Estonian president, has signed a number of new amendments into law. The amendments called the “Bronze Night” package, involve tightening regulation of rallies and demonstrations.
The new laws ensure stricter penalties for “aggressive acts” against the state, treason, and “aggressive” activities by foreigners against the Republic of Estonia.
The new laws also establish penalties for “calling to support military action against Estonia”, or attempting to subvert the present regime, calling for a conspiracy against the Republic of Estonia, to influence the police or government officials, as well as the organization of mass unrest, and participation in them.
The package of amendments was developed after street protests by the Russian-speaking population of Estonia, when the Estonian government made an order to move the “Bronze Soldier” monument, dedicated to Soviet soldiers who liberated Estonia from the Nazi occupation, from it’s original site in central Tallinn to a less prominent location at a military cemetery.
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