JPTi Submits Complaint to UN on Arbitrary Detention of Estonian Human Rights Defender
- vish1shth
- 4 hours ago
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📅 Geneva, 22 April 2025 — Justice pour Tous Internationale (JPTi) has today submitted a formal complaint to the Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council on behalf of Mr. Sergei Seredenko, a distinguished legal scholar and human rights defender currently held in high-security detention in Estonia, following a politically motivated conviction.
The complaint, addressed to eight Special Rapporteurs and other UN mechanisms, exposes systemic human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, retroactive criminal prosecution, unlawful surveillance, and the criminalisation of peaceful academic and civic activities. Mr. Seredenko has been targeted for his advocacy on behalf of Estonia’s Russian-speaking minority and his public critique of national policies. His arrest in March 2021, secretive trial, and continued incarceration in Viru Prison constitute an egregious breach of international legal standards.
🚨 JPTi is calling for Mr. Seredenko’s immediate and unconditional release, full reparations, and urgent international oversight of Estonia’s misuse of state security legislation.
This submission comes amid critical developments in the case of Mr. Aivo Peterson, another peaceful political figure and civic activist, whose trial reaches a pivotal moment this week. Although he has not been convicted, Mr. Peterson remains in detention under a punitive €150,000 bail, an amount that imposes an insurmountable barrier to his release and violates the principle of proportionality.
📢 JPTi urges the UN Special Procedures to take swift and coordinated action, including:
• Issuing a joint urgent communication to the Government of Estonia;
• Demanding the release of Mr. Seredenko and a reduction of Mr. Peterson’s excessive bail;
• Conducting a country visit to Estonia to assess systemic violations;
• Initiating thematic reporting on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and national security abuse within the European Union.
These two emblematic cases highlight an alarming erosion of democratic standards and judicial independence in Estonia, where legitimate dissent is conflated with subversion, and minority voices are systematically repressed.
#HumanRights #UN #Estonia #Seredenko #AivoPeterson #RuleOfLaw #MinorityRights #FreeSpeech #ArbitraryDetention #JusticeForAll #JPTi #CivilSociety #SLAPP #UNSpecialProcedures
📎 The full complaint includes a legal assessment, Mr. Seredenko’s personal letter from prison, and authorisation for public disclosure.
📄 Access the Full Submission:
📄 Read the Full Press Release:
For media or other inquiries, please contact: registry@jpti.ch
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