Tartu Circuit Court upheld the acquittal of Humal and Pruunsild

The earlier judgment finding Tartu Deputy Mayor Priit Humal and entrepreneur Parvel Pruunsild not guilty of violating restrictions on activities and aiding and abetting such violations remained in force in the circuit court.

Both courts found that Humal could not be accused of violating restrictions on activities and Pruunsild of aiding and abetting such violations. The circuit court also confirmed that Humal and Pruunsild were not connected persons and that Humal performed his duties in the best interests of the city of Tartu, rather than acting in Pruunsild’s interests.

The decision criticizes the prosecutor’s broad interpretation of the Anti-Corruption Act and its possible conflict with the Constitution. This is an important step towards legal clarity in situations where the line between normal communication and criminal liability can become blurred.

The circuit court also addressed the issue of the admissibility of evidence in its decision. The court ruled that evidence from personal e-mail account of Humal, which had been obtained from a telecommunications company at the request of the security police, was inadmissible. The panel emphasized that collecting the content of e-mails from a service provider based on a simple request is generally not lawful, as it significantly violates the confidentiality of a person’s correspondence.

This case demonstrates the importance of clear and balanced case law in both the handling of corruption charges and the protection of fundamental rights. WALLESS Partner Margo Lemetti and Senior Associate Tanel Kask contributed to the achievement of this acquittal.