Court Upholds Fine for Man Who Called Police 'Putin's Lackeys'

Harju County Court has upheld a €480 fine imposed by the Police and Border Guard Board on a 57-year-old man found guilty of insulting law enforcement officials. The incident occurred on the evening of June 3, 2025, in the village of Vanamõisa, Saue Parish, Harju County. Police responded to a neighbor's complaint about a disturbance of nighttime peace.

According to case materials, when confronted by the patrol, the man made an obscene gesture (middle finger), shouted "Fuck you," and called the officers "Putin's lackeys," "KGB investigators," "Estonian Putins," "murderers," and "feeble-minded." After refusing to comply with police orders and attempting to retreat into his house, he was arrested using handcuffs.

In court, the man admitted to the gesture and profanity but claimed he acted under emotional distress. His defense argued that the gesture and phrase "Fuck you" are common expressions and do not necessarily constitute insults. Furthermore, the defense sought to annul the fine and demanded €20,000 in moral damages from the state, plus legal fees.

After reviewing footage from police body cameras, the court rejected these arguments. The ruling states that the middle finger gesture and "Fuck you" were intended to humiliate the officers. The court specifically noted that in the current context, statements linking Estonian police officers to the Russian president or Russian security forces are clearly insulting and affect the honor and dignity of the representatives of authority.

Although a procedural error occurred during the pre-trial investigation, the court found it did not affect the legality of the penalty. The appeal was dismissed, and the €480 fine remains in force. The claim for moral damages was not considered, as such claims must be filed with an administrative court.