Advertisement
Estonian ocean scientist gets three-year jail sentence for spying for China
- Maritime scientist Tarmo Kouts, 57, was sentenced earlier this month in the country’s first intelligence case not linked to Russia
- A security official said Kouts had been recruited by Chinese intelligence operating under the cover of a think tank in 2018
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Estonia has convicted a maritime scientist who also worked at a Nato facility of spying for China, officials and media reports said on Friday, in the country’s first intelligence case not linked to Russia.
Tarmo Kouts was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison by Harju county court in Tallinn earlier this month at a hearing held behind closed doors.
The court also confiscated €17,000 (US$20,000) from the 57-year-old Kouts, a leading expert in oceanography who worked at Tallinn Technical University.
He had sat since 2006 on the scientific committee of Nato’s Undersea Research Centre in Italy, which carries out studies to help the alliance’s warships and submarines.
Advertisement
Kouts also did work for Estonia’s defence ministry.
A spokeswoman for the court declined to comment.
Advertisement
But, according to the its decision published by the state gazette Riigiteataja, Kouts was found guilty of espionage and “membership of unconstitutional organisations formed to carry out activities against the Estonian Republic”.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x