Chapter 10
COURT PROCEDURE IN COUNTY COURTS

Division 2
General Conditions for Court Hearing

§ 267. Measures applicable to persons who violate order in court session

(1) If an accused violates order in a court session and fails to comply with the orders of a judge, the following measures may be applied on the basis of a court ruling :

1) removal of the accused from the courtroom temporarily or for the duration of the whole session ;
2) imposition of detention for up to ten days or a fine on the accused.
[RT I, 23.02.2011, 1 - entry into force 01.09.2011]

(2) When an accused is asked to return to the courtroom, he or she shall be notified of the court activities performed in his or her absence.

(3) If an accused is removed from the courtroom for the duration of a whole session due to violation of order, a copy of the court judgment or, in the case provided for in subsection 315 (4) of this Code, of the conclusion of the court judgment shall be served on the accused immediately after pronouncement of the court judgment.

Chapter 10
COURT PROCEDURE IN COUNTY COURTS

Division 2
General Conditions for Court Hearing

§ 269. Participation of accused in court hearing

(2) As an exception, a criminal matter may be heard in the absence of the accused if :

1) he or she has been removed from the courtroom on the basis and pursuant to the procedure provided for in subsection 267 (1) of this Code ;
2) his or her whereabouts in the Republic of Estonia cannot be established, there is sufficient reason to believe that he or she is outside the territory of the Republic of Estonia and absconds court proceedings, reasonable efforts have been made for finding him or her and court hearing is possible without the him or her ;
3) after his or her interrogation at a court session, the accused has caused himself or herself to be in a state which precludes his or her participation in the court hearing, and court hearing is possible without him or her ;
4) it is complicated to take him or her to the court, and he or she has consented to participation in the court hearing in audio-visual form pursuant to clause 69 (2) 1) of this Code.
5) he or she has submitted a reasoned request to the court to hear the matter without his or her participation and the court is convinced that it is possible to defend the rights of the accused without his or her participation in the court hearing and the absence of the accused from a court session is not contrary to the public interests.
[RT I, 23.02.2011, 1 - entry into force 01.09.2011]

Article 63
Trial in the presence of the accused
1. The accused shall be present during the trial.

Article 67
Rights of the accused
1. In the determination of any charge, the accused shall be entitled to a public hearing, having regard to the provisions of this Statute, to a fair hearing conducted impartially, and to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:
(a) To be informed promptly and in detail of the nature, cause and content of the charge, in a language which the accused fully understands and speaks;
(b) To have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of the defence and to communicate freely with counsel of the accused’s choosing in confidence;
(c) To be tried without undue delay;
(d) Subject to article 63, paragraph 2, to be present at the trial, to conduct the defence in person or through legal assistance of the accused’s choosing, to be informed, if the accused does not have legal assistance, of this right and to have legal assistance assigned by the Court in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment if the accused lacks sufficient means to pay for it;
(e) To examine, or have examined, the witnesses against him or her and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his or her behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him or her. The accused shall also be entitled to raise defences and to present other evidence admissible under this Statute;
(f) To have, free of any cost, the assistance of a competent interpreter and such translations as are necessary to meet the requirements of fairness, if any of the proceedings of or documents presented to the Court are not in a language which the accused fully understands and speaks;
(g) Not to be compelled to testify or to confess guilt and to remain silent, without such silence being a consideration in the determination of guilt or innocence;
(h) To make an unsworn oral or written statement in his or her defence; and
(i) Not to have imposed on him or her any reversal of the burden of proof or any onus of rebuttal.
2. In addition to any other disclosure provided for in this Statute, the Prosecutor shall, as soon as practicable, disclose to the defence evidence in the Prosecutor’s possession or control which he or she believes shows or tends to show the innocence of the accused, or to mitigate the guilt of the accused, or which may affect the credibility of prosecution evidence. In case of doubt as to the application of this paragraph, the Court shall decide.