Closed hearings of case against Estonian citizen begin in Russia’s Pskov

The Pskov regional court began hearings of the case against Estonia’s citizen Eston Kohver, suspected of espionage and three more crimes, the court told TASS on Monday.

"The hearings began at 11a.m. local time. The judge is Yulia Ulanova. The trial is closed due to the closed character of materials, which may be presented during the hearings," the court representative said.

Information on the results will be available on the court’s website, the representative said.

Earlier, the court extended the term in custody for Kohver to September 7, 2015.

Kohver, an officer from the Estonian Interior Ministry’s security police department, was detained in Russia’s north-western Pskov region on September 5, 2014, for allegedly carrying out an undercover operation on the territory of Russia.

The Estonian citizen is suspected of espionage, smuggling of arms, illegal crossing of border and of illegal carrying of arms.

The Russian Federal Security Service reported at that time during the detention they had confiscated from Kohver a handgun, €5,000 in cash, special covert audio recording equipment and materials indicative of a spying mission.

Estonian authorities insist Kohver was abducted by Russian law enforcers on the territory of Estonia and then was transferred across the borderline into Russia’s Pskov Region.