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The '''Kaitsepolitsei''' ('''Security Police''') is the central security institution of ]. Its purposes are centered around enforcing constitutional order. Kaitsepolitsei has primary investigative jurisdiction in some offences committed by state officials; countering ]; ]; ] and peace, including ]; the illegal handling and trafficking of explosives, radio active material, firearms, ammunition or other strategic materials; and the protection of ]. It also fills ] duties. The '''Kaitsepolitsei''' ('''Security Police''', in short: '''KAPO''') is the central security institution of ]. Its purposes are centered around enforcing constitutional order. Kaitsepolitsei has primary investigative jurisdiction in some offences committed by state officials; countering ]; ]; ] and peace, including ]; the illegal handling and trafficking of explosives, radio active material, firearms, ammunition or other strategic materials; and the protection of ]. It also fills ] duties.


Kaitsepolitsei is administered as an agency of the ]. Kaitsepolitsei is administered as an agency of the ].
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===Re-establishment=== ===Re-establishment===
The institution was re-established as Kaitsepolitseiamet in ], ], during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the process of Estonia regaining its independence, as a department of the Estonian Police (''Politseiamet''). It began operating as a separate institution in ], ]. According to the law of security services, which took effect on ], ], the status of the Kaitsepolitseiamet changed from a police institution to a security service. The institution was re-established as Kaitsepolitseiamet in ], ], during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the process of Estonia regaining its independence, as a department of the Estonian Police (''Politseiamet''). It began operating as a separate institution in ], ]. According to the law of security services, which took effect on ], ], the status of the Kaitsepolitseiamet changed from a police institution to a security service.

==Criticism==
In 2009, ] criticized KAPO for intimidating a human rights organization trying to defend the rights of those belonging to linguistic minorities. KAPO had made serious allegations against the ] (LICHR), claiming that LICHR was used by the Russian Federation to carry out scientific research for propaganda purposes, and had accused the LICHR of trying to conceal the specific sources of funding it received from the Russian Federation. According to Amnesty, "these allegations were widely seen as an attempt by the government to misrepresent the LICHR and to undermine its attempts to secure the necessary financial and social support to carry out its work."<ref name="amnesty2009">{{cite web |url=http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/estonia |title=Amnesty International Report 2009 |publisher= ] |date=2009 |accessdate=2009-06-05}}</ref>

Perhaps the strongest criticism against KAPO has been presented by Finnish legal sociologist ],<ref>http://johaneurovaali.blogit.uusisuomi.fi/2009/04/02/vastaus-avoimeen-kirjeeseen/</ref> and ], a ] lawyer living in Tallinn. In 2009, Teinonen launched criminal proceedings against KAPO in a Tallinn court, accusing the organization of politically motivated persecution of innocent people.<ref name="bäckman">{{cite book|last=Bäckman|first=Johan|title=Pronssisoturi|publisher=Tarbeinfo|location=Tallinn|date=2008|chapter=Naamiaiset}}</ref><ref name="istock"></ref><ref name="istock"/><ref name="baltictimes">{{cite news|url=http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/22522/|title=Simm stripped of honors|date=13 March 2009|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-04-02}}</ref>


== References == == References ==
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Revision as of 07:54, 6 June 2009

Security Police
Kaitsepolitsei
Agency overview
Formed1920 as the Political Police
JurisdictionGovernment of Estonia
HeadquartersTallinn, Estonia
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Raivo Aeg, Head Director
Parent agencyEstonian Ministry of Internal Affairs
Websitewww.kapo.ee

The Kaitsepolitsei (Security Police, in short: KAPO) is the central security institution of Republic of Estonia. Its purposes are centered around enforcing constitutional order. Kaitsepolitsei has primary investigative jurisdiction in some offences committed by state officials; countering terrorism; incitement to hatred; crimes against humanity and peace, including war crimes; the illegal handling and trafficking of explosives, radio active material, firearms, ammunition or other strategic materials; and the protection of state secrets. It also fills counterintelligence duties.

Kaitsepolitsei is administered as an agency of the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

While a lot of Kaitsepolitsei's activities are classified, its overview of the status of national security is published yearly as the Kaitsepolitsei aastaraamat.

History

Kaitsepolitseiamet was established on April 12, 1920 by the Government Of Estonia. From 1925 to 1940 the institution was known as Poliitiline politsei (abbreviated PolPol). The PolPol fought against subversive activities of left-wing and right-wing extremists, espionage, desertion, smuggling and terrorism. The most important targets were the Estonian communists whose party was illegal, forcing them to operate clandestinely and through various legal (pro-communist) workers' organisations. Hundreds of people were sued at courts and tribunals as a result of the PolPol investigation of communist activities. Similarly, the PolPol surveyed pro-Nazi oriented Baltic Germans and extreme monarchists of the White Russian emigres. When the Soviet Union annexed Estonia in June 17, 1940 the PolPol was one of the first institutions which was practically in corpore repressed. During the Soviet rule from 1940-1941 and 1944-1991, the PolPol was replaced by local organs of its counterparts in the Soviet Union: KGB, NKVD, MVD etc.

Re-establishment

The institution was re-established as Kaitsepolitseiamet in March 1, 1991, during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the process of Estonia regaining its independence, as a department of the Estonian Police (Politseiamet). It began operating as a separate institution in June 18, 1993. According to the law of security services, which took effect on March 1, 2001, the status of the Kaitsepolitseiamet changed from a police institution to a security service.

Criticism

In 2009, Amnesty International criticized KAPO for intimidating a human rights organization trying to defend the rights of those belonging to linguistic minorities. KAPO had made serious allegations against the Legal Information Centre for Human Rights (LICHR), claiming that LICHR was used by the Russian Federation to carry out scientific research for propaganda purposes, and had accused the LICHR of trying to conceal the specific sources of funding it received from the Russian Federation. According to Amnesty, "these allegations were widely seen as an attempt by the government to misrepresent the LICHR and to undermine its attempts to secure the necessary financial and social support to carry out its work."

Perhaps the strongest criticism against KAPO has been presented by Finnish legal sociologist Johan Bäckman, and Risto Teinonen, a Finnish lawyer living in Tallinn. In 2009, Teinonen launched criminal proceedings against KAPO in a Tallinn court, accusing the organization of politically motivated persecution of innocent people.

References

  1. http://www.kapo.ee/eng_ajalugu_ja_symboolika.html
  2. http://www.kapo.ee/eng_ajalugu_ja_symboolika.html
  3. "Amnesty International Report 2009". Amnesty International. 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  4. http://johaneurovaali.blogit.uusisuomi.fi/2009/04/02/vastaus-avoimeen-kirjeeseen/
  5. Bäckman, Johan (2008). "Naamiaiset". Pronssisoturi. Tallinn: Tarbeinfo.
  6. ^ Finnish Neo-Nazi Sues Estonian Security Police
  7. "Simm stripped of honors". Baltic Times. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-02.

External links

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