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{{Short description|Government agency of Estonia}}
'''Kaitsepolitseiamet''' (commonly abbreviated '''KAPO''' or '''Kaitsepolitsei'''), translated as ''Security Police board'' in ], is the government institution that protects the ]n constitutional regime and performs ] in Estonia. Its tasks also include the prevention and discovery of crimes against the ] in Estonia. Kaitsepolitseiamet is in the administrative field of the ].
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name = Internal Security Service
|nativename = Kaitsepolitsei
|nativename_a =
|nativename_r =
|logo = Estonian Security Police logo.svg
|logo_width =
|logo_caption =
|seal =
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|formed = 1920 as the Political Police
|preceding1 =
|preceding2 =
|dissolved =
|superseding =
|jurisdiction = ]
|headquarters = Toompuiestee 3, ]
⚫ |coordinates = {{coord|59|25|52.1|N|24|44|16.56|E|region:EE|display=title}}
|employees =
|budget =
|minister1_name =
|minister1_pfo =
|minister2_name =
|minister2_pfo =
|chief1_name = ]
|chief1_position = Head Director
|chief2_name =
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|parent_agency = ]
|child1_agency =
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|website =
|footnotes =
}}
The '''Estonian Internal Security Service''' ({{langx|et|Kaitsepolitsei}}, officially {{langx|et|Kaitsepolitseiamet}}, '''KAPO''' for short) is a central ] institution of ]. Its purposes are centered on enforcing constitutional order. The Estonian Internal Security Service has primary investigative jurisdiction in some offences committed by state officials; countering ]; ]; ] and peace, including ]; illegal handling and trafficking of firearms, ammunition, explosives, radioactive material or other ]s; and the protection of ]. It also fills ] duties.

The Estonian Internal Security Service is administered as an agency of the ]. While many of the Estonian Internal Security Service's activities are classified, its overview of the status of national security is published yearly as the ''Kaitsepolitsei aastaraamat''.


==History== ==History==
Kaitsepolitseiamet was first established on April 12, 1920. From 1925 to 1940 the institution was known as Political Police (''Poliitiline politsei'', abbreviated ''PolPol''). The PolPol fought against subversive activities of political extremists, espionage, desertion, smuggling and terrorism. The most discussed targets were the ] whose party had been declared an illegal organisation following the failed ], forcing them to operate clandestinely and through various legal fronts, usually as workers' organisations. Communists were supported by the ], who had publicly accepted the principles not recognizing the parliamentary order, seeing terrorism as a legitimate activity.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Walter|first=Hannes|date=February 1999|title=Uprising of December 1, 192411|journal=Baltic Defence Review|pages=129–140|url=http://www.bdcol.ee/fileadmin/docs/bdreview/10bdr299.pdf|access-date=June 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614030707/http://www.bdcol.ee/fileadmin/docs/bdreview/10bdr299.pdf|archive-date=June 14, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Similarly, the PolPol surveyed pro-Nazi oriented Baltic Germans and extreme monarchists of the White Russian emigres.<ref name ="kapo">{{Cite web |url=http://www.kapo.ee/eng/general-information/history/1920-1940 |title=Kaitsepolitseiamet - Estonian Security Police in 1920-1940 |access-date=2010-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720125559/http://www.kapo.ee/eng/general-information/history/1920-1940 |archive-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Kaitsepolitseiamet was established on ], ] by the ]. From 1925 to 1940 the institution was known as ''Poliitiline politsei'' (abbreviated ''PolPol''). When the ] annexed Estonia in ], ] 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: ], ], ] etc.


When the Soviet Union annexed Estonia on June 17, 1940 the PolPol was one of the first institutions which was practically ''in corpore'' repressed - almost all of its employees were deported in the course of the ]s; by the end of the ] more than 90% of the PolPol employees and their families had been killed.<ref name ="kapo"/>
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.


===Re-establishment===
== Criticism ==
The Estonian Internal Security Service was reestablished on March 1, 1991, as a part of restoration of Estonian independence from the Soviet occupation. Until June 18, 1993, the Estonian Internal Security Service was a department of the central police structure; then, it was reorganised as a distinct entity. Following adoption of a new law of security services on March 1, 2001, the status of the Estonian Internal Security Service was reclassified from a police institution to a security service.
{{unbalanced-section}}

According to ], a ] lawyer working in ], KAPO is criminal civil service, which is completely beyond any control and claims many KAPO employees are former ] agents.<ref name="teinonen"></ref> Teinonen accuses KAPO of persecuting people simply because of their political views, where they are branded as troublemakers so that they will lose their work or study, or have their lives are threatened. The victims are then sent to psychiatric hospitals because of the political views, just like during the ] era.<ref name="teinonen"/> On 27 June 2007, Teinonen himself was arrested by KAPO, and his and his friends' homes were searched. Teinonen claims that he was deliberately and unjustifiably suspected of intent to establish an organisation opposed to the independence and sovereignty of the ] and a paramilitary group for such an organisation. However, no evidence of any criminal activities was found.<ref name="istock"></ref> Teinonen further asserts, that the only reason for these proceedings is his world-view and that KAPO's objective is to force him out of the country. The criminal proceedings launched by KAPO are unjustified and they have been initiated for political reasons – the request can be traced to the Estonian government, Teinonen claims.<ref></ref><ref></ref> In its annual report KAPO has called Teinonen "an agent of influence." On 13 January 2009, Teinonen filed a lawsuit with the Tallinn administrative court against KAPO.<ref name="istock"/>
According to an Amnesty International report from 2009: "In June, the Estonian Security Police Board published its annual report which made serious allegations against the ] (LICHR), an NGO promoting and defending the rights of those belonging to linguistic minorities. The report stated that the LICHR was used by the Russian Federation to carry out scientific research for propaganda purposes, and accused the LICHR of trying to conceal the specific sources of funding it received from the Russian Federation. 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=] |year=2009 |access-date=2009-06-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602034710/http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/europe-central-asia/estonia |archive-date=June 2, 2009 }}</ref>

Criticism of the Estonian Internal Security Service has been presented by ], a ] lawyer and neo-Nazi living in Tallinn. In 2009, Teinonen launched criminal proceedings against the Estonian Internal Security Service in a Tallinn court, accusing the organization of the politically motivated persecution of innocent people.<ref name="bäckman">{{cite book|last=Bäckman|first=Johan|title=Pronssisoturi|publisher=Tarbeinfo|location=Tallinn|year=2008|chapter=Naamiaiset}}</ref><ref name="istock">{{Cite web |url=https://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2951113 |title=Finnish Neo-Nazi Sues Estonian Security Police |access-date=2009-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503103500/http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2951113 |archive-date=2012-05-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="baltictimes">{{cite news|url=http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/22522/|title=Simm stripped of honors|date=13 March 2009|publisher=]|access-date=2009-04-02}}</ref>

==See also==
*]


== References == == References ==
{{reflist}}
<references/>


== External links == == External links ==
* *{{Official website|http://www.kapo.ee/eng/home/}}
* *
⚫ {{coord|59.431|24.7375|type:city|display=title}}


{{Domestic national intelligence agencies}} {{Domestic national intelligence agencies}}


⚫ ]
{{Europe topic|Law enforcement in}}

⚫ ]
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Latest revision as of 10:10, 8 November 2024

Government agency of Estonia

Internal Security Service
Kaitsepolitsei
Agency overview
Formed1920 as the Political Police
JurisdictionGovernment of Estonia
HeadquartersToompuiestee 3, Tallinn
59°25′52.1″N 24°44′16.56″E / 59.431139°N 24.7379333°E / 59.431139; 24.7379333
Agency executive
Parent agencyEstonian Ministry of Internal Affairs
Websitewww.kapo.ee

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

The Estonian Internal Security Service is administered as an agency of the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs. While many of the Estonian Internal Security Service's activities are classified, its overview of the status of national security is published yearly as the Kaitsepolitsei aastaraamat.

History

Kaitsepolitseiamet was first established on April 12, 1920. From 1925 to 1940 the institution was known as Political Police (Poliitiline politsei, abbreviated PolPol). The PolPol fought against subversive activities of political extremists, espionage, desertion, smuggling and terrorism. The most discussed targets were the Estonian communists whose party had been declared an illegal organisation following the failed December coup, forcing them to operate clandestinely and through various legal fronts, usually as workers' organisations. Communists were supported by the Soviet Union, who had publicly accepted the principles not recognizing the parliamentary order, seeing terrorism as a legitimate activity. Similarly, the PolPol surveyed pro-Nazi oriented Baltic Germans and extreme monarchists of the White Russian emigres.

When the Soviet Union annexed Estonia on June 17, 1940 the PolPol was one of the first institutions which was practically in corpore repressed - almost all of its employees were deported in the course of the June deportations; by the end of the World War II more than 90% of the PolPol employees and their families had been killed.

Re-establishment

The Estonian Internal Security Service was reestablished on March 1, 1991, as a part of restoration of Estonian independence from the Soviet occupation. Until June 18, 1993, the Estonian Internal Security Service was a department of the central police structure; then, it was reorganised as a distinct entity. Following adoption of a new law of security services on March 1, 2001, the status of the Estonian Internal Security Service was reclassified from a police institution to a security service.

According to an Amnesty International report from 2009: "In June, the Estonian Security Police Board published its annual report which made serious allegations against the Legal Information Centre for Human Rights (LICHR), an NGO promoting and defending the rights of those belonging to linguistic minorities. The report stated that the LICHR was used by the Russian Federation to carry out scientific research for propaganda purposes, and accused the LICHR of trying to conceal the specific sources of funding it received from the Russian Federation. 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."

Criticism of the Estonian Internal Security Service has been presented by Risto Teinonen, a Finnish lawyer and neo-Nazi living in Tallinn. In 2009, Teinonen launched criminal proceedings against the Estonian Internal Security Service in a Tallinn court, accusing the organization of the politically motivated persecution of innocent people.

See also

References

  1. Walter, Hannes (February 1999). "Uprising of December 1, 192411" (PDF). Baltic Defence Review: 129–140. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Kaitsepolitseiamet - Estonian Security Police in 1920-1940". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  3. "Amnesty International Report 2009". Amnesty International. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  4. Bäckman, Johan (2008). "Naamiaiset". Pronssisoturi. Tallinn: Tarbeinfo.
  5. "Finnish Neo-Nazi Sues Estonian Security Police". Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  6. "Simm stripped of honors". The Baltic Times. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2009.

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