Tallinn - An 88-year-old Russian citizen convicted of crimes
against humanity could face expulsion from his long-term home in
Estonia after a court ruling, officials confirmed on Friday.
According to a ruling by the Estonian Supreme Court, an expulsion
order issued by the Citizenship and Migration Board against Vasilii
Beskov, who was convicted of war crimes in 1999, is valid.
But during the hearing, the board pointed out that it views
Beskov's age and infirmity as 'good reasons' not to enforce the order
- leaving its execution, and Beskov's fate, in doubt.
'Given Beskov's age and health, the board has decided to stop the
execution of the expulsion order until the situation with his health
changes,' Veronika Kaska, chief specialist on citizenship and
migration at the Interior Ministry, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
In 1999, Beskov was found guilty of participating in the 1949
Soviet mass deportation of Estonian citizens. He was given an
eight-year suspended sentence, valid for three years.
Under Estonia's law on aliens, anyone convicted of crimes against
humanity is 'a threat to Estonia's national security, irrespective of
the time they were committed,' Kaska said.
As a result, when the three-year sentence ran out, the legal
ground for Beskov's stay in Estonia expired. The Citizenship Board
refused to renew his residence permit and ultimately ordered his
expulsion.
Beskov challenged the legality of the order in three levels of
court, but all rejected his arguments.
Whether or not he will be expelled now rests in the hands of the
Interior Ministry, which is tasked with recommending action to the
government. Estonia's government is still in the process of formation
after elections on March 4.
The ministry is currently preparing a recommendation on Beskov's
fate which it will present to the government when an administration
is confirmed, Kaska said. She could not comment on what the
recommendation would be, however.
'It's a very tricky matter. On the one hand, Beskov was found
guilty of crimes against humanity, but on the other, he's been living
here since 1943, he has his family life here and he's very old,'
Kaska said.
'We'll have to wait and see how the ministry comes up with an
adequate recommendation on the matter,' she added.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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