In early November, the Estonian police removed and fined young people from a protest for expressing solidarity with Palestinians using the phrase “From the river to the sea.” One of them was 29-year-old Estonian Leore.

Leore has participated in protests before. It’s her way of contributing to society. “Since my youth, I have experienced injustice. I know how important even one supporting voice can be. That’s why I try to be supportive by participating in protests that have mattered. I’ve found that directing exhausting emotions towards something that helps even a little keeps my thoughts on the right track and makes helping others sustainable,” she says.

Multiple Facets of Helping

After Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, like many other Estonians, Leore felt solidarity with Ukrainians. She sought and found ways to contribute to their aid. “When Russia began its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, my profession as a tattoo artist allowed me to direct the resulting anguish and hopelessness into charitable fundraising.”

Helping Palestinians living in Gaza wasn’t as straightforward. How do you help people whom aid can’t reach? “In the Hamas-Israel war that began in October, it was impossible to direct accumulating emotions because humanitarian aid to Gaza was and is blocked. Added to this was despair, because not a word was mentioned in our media about the thousands of civilians and children killed in Palestine,” says Leore. “When I heard about the protest at Freedom Square, I marked it on my calendar. I felt I had to be there, if only to show solidarity. I thought that showing up at the protest was one of the few things I could do in this situation.”

Into the Police Bus with a Pizza Box Sign

Leore hastily crafted a homemade sign from an old pizza box and took it with her. “Since posters help draw attention to protests, I quickly made a sign on an old pizza box. It was because of this sign that I was lifted into a police bus about ten minutes after arriving at the protest.”

The matter didn’t end with just being removed from the protest. Leore was fined under Penal Code § 151 prim. “Now I and several other protesters are facing unjust fines. I feel that paying such a fine would endanger freedom of expression in Estonia, so here I am now.”

Donate for the Protection of Freedom of Expression

Here is Leore now, and here is the Human Rights Center, because we decided to represent in court four young people who participated in the protest and were fined, to protect freedom of expression in Estonia. We see a serious threat to freedom of expression if the police can arrest and hold accountable unsuspecting people who exercise their constitutional rights. We ask the court to annul the fines and to give the Supreme Court an assessment of whether Penal Code § 151 prim is constitutional.

Every court journey is costly. The Center is defending the young people in cooperation with attorney Ronald Riistan. The court costs for four people amount to over 8000 euros, a huge sum for both the Center and the young. We call on all supporters and sympathizers to support us. Please donate to help us cover the court costs!