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The Security Police Board (Template:Lang-et), also commonly known as KaPo, is the Estonian government institution that protects the Estonian constitutional regime and performs counterintelligence in Estonia. Its tasks also include the prevention and discovery of crimes against the parliamentary democracy in Estonia. Kaitsepolitseiamet is in the administrative field of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

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). 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.

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

Risto Teinonen, a Finnish lawyer and Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana recipient resident in Tallinn, has accused KAPO of political repression and persecution of ordinary people with no criminal records. According to Teinonen KAPO intimidates its victims by threatening their lives and branding them as troublemakers so that they lose their jobs. The victims are then sent to psychiatric hospitals because of their political views, just like in the Soviet era. On 27 June 2007, Teinonen 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 Republic of Estonia and a paramilitary group for such an organisation. However, no evidence of any criminal activities was found. On 13 January 2009, Teinonen filed a lawsuit with the Tallinn administrative court against KAPO.

References

1. "Simm stripped of honors". Baltic Times. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
2. Bäckman, Johan (2008). "Naamiaiset". Pronssisoturi. Tallinn: Tarbeinfo.
3. NEDTYSTADE POLISRÄDER MOT ESTNISKA PATRIOTER
4. ^ Finnish Neo-Nazi Sues Estonian Security Police

External links

• The web page of the Kaitsepolitseiamet
• Julgeolekuasutuste Seadus, Riigi Teataja I 2001, 7, 17

59°25′52″N 24°44′15″E / 59.431°N 24.7375°E / 59.431; 24.7375

• Intelligence agencies
• Politics of Estonia
• Law enforcement agencies of Estonia