In Estonia, defendant Bessedin may receive seven years in prison under a plea deal
In Estonia, Oleg Bessedin, who is accused of activities against the state, has submitted to the court a plea deal with the prosecution that предусматривает seven years of actual imprisonment and the confiscation of more than €73,000. The hearing at the Harju County Court of First Instance began on Tuesday, and the court is to review the materials and decide on the deal on September 28, ERR News reports.
Terms of the deal
According to Lead State Prosecutor Taavi Pern, the prosecution agreed to settle the criminal case through a plea deal after negotiations with Bessedin and his lawyer, Dmitry Shkolyar. The terms include seven years of actual imprisonment and the confiscation of assets worth more than €73,000, which, according to the prosecution, were obtained as a result of crimes.
The deal provides for two years and nine months in prison for violating sanctions and six and a half years for activities against the Estonian state. The sentences are to be imposed concurrently: the harsher sentence will partially absorb the less severe one, bringing the total term to seven years. The time Bessedin has spent in custody since his detention in November is to be credited toward the sentence. He will be eligible to apply for parole after two and a half years.
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Charges of acting in Russia's interests
The prosecution claims that, at least since May 2022, Bessedin participated in influence activities in the interests of the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, and maintained contacts with Russian institutions, officials and other individuals involved in Russian influence operations. According to the prosecution, the purpose of these activities was to spread propaganda and disinformation, divide Estonia's population and persuade people to support Russia's political decisions.
According to the indictment, Bessedin also disseminated narratives used by Russia to justify attacks on neighboring states. The prosecution alleges that these messages were presented in a way that gave those involved in political decision-making in Russia the impression that they reflected the views of Estonia's entire Russian-speaking population. He is separately accused of distributing, through television and social media channels under his control, Russian television programs and content subject to sanctions.
Bessedin's lawyer said that after two previous hearings, the parties managed to settle the disputed issues within a day and submit the deal to the court. The court also granted the defense's motion to lift additional restrictions: according to the lawyer, Bessedin will no longer be isolated from other detainees and will be able to communicate with his family.
