Karen Drambjan
Encyclopedia
Karen Drambjan was an Armenian-born Estonian lawyer and failed left-wing political candidate. He was shot dead in a firefight with the police in the Estonian Defense ministry building in Tallinn
on 11 August 2011, after setting off several explosives.
, and graduated with a law degree from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in 1992. In 1993 he was granted Estonian citizenship.
Drambjan ran a law firm
in Maardu
. In 2007 he defended Larissa Neštšadimova, the spokeswoman of Nochnoy Dozor on charges stemming from a standoff with police near the Bronze Soldier before the Bronze Nights, but had to yield the case to a "more qualified" lawyer as the case moved toward the Supreme Court of Estonia
.
Drambjan was divorced and had two daughters from the marriage. In 2011 he had run into financial difficulties and his apartment in Maardu was sold by court bailiff
s.
, a successor of the Estonian Communist Party, which sought to represent the Russian minority in Estonia. In the 2007 parliamentary elections in Estonia
he was a candidate for the Constitution Party
. According to the Estonian Security Police the Constitution Party was a puppet-party supported and controlled from Russia
, created by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) in 2007 as part of their campaign of "political intelligence manipulations
".
In the 2009 municipal elections, after the fusion of the Constitution Party with the Estonian Left Party
he was a candidate for the newly formed Estonian United Left Party in the Russian dominated Maardu
munincipality, but failed to get elected. He was known as a fierce supporter of Maardu mayor Georgi Bõstrov.
During campaigning for the 2009 European Parliament election
, Drambjan published a manifesto denouncing Estonia as a morally bankrupt neo-Fascist country, contending the Estonian government had chosen civil war in its relationship with the Russian minority and chastising the Russian community for its slavish mentality in the face of discrimination.
. He temporarily held two people captive, including one security guard. In a joint operation carried out by the police and the Kaitsepolitsei, the police K-Commando
unit stormed the building and killed Drambjan in an exchange of fire.
Defence minister Mart Laar
was not in the building at the time.
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
on 11 August 2011, after setting off several explosives.
Life
Drambjan was born in YerevanYerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, and graduated with a law degree from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in 1992. In 1993 he was granted Estonian citizenship.
Drambjan ran a law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
in Maardu
Maardu
Maardu is a town and a municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area. The town covers an area of 22.76 km² and has a population of 16,529 ....
. In 2007 he defended Larissa Neštšadimova, the spokeswoman of Nochnoy Dozor on charges stemming from a standoff with police near the Bronze Soldier before the Bronze Nights, but had to yield the case to a "more qualified" lawyer as the case moved toward the Supreme Court of Estonia
Supreme Court of Estonia
The Supreme Court of Estonia is the court of last resort in Estonia. It is both a court of cassation and a constitutional court. The courthouse is in Tartu.Chief justices=* Kaarel Parts * Rait Maruste...
.
Drambjan was divorced and had two daughters from the marriage. In 2011 he had run into financial difficulties and his apartment in Maardu was sold by court bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s.
Political activity
Drambjan was a member of the Estonian United Left PartyEstonian United Left Party
The Estonian United Left Party is a political party in Estonia.-History:In June 1988 Communist Party of Estonia , i.e. the Estonian branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, chief Karl Vaino was replaced by the reform-minded Soviet Ambassador to Nicaragua Vaino Väljas, the former...
, a successor of the Estonian Communist Party, which sought to represent the Russian minority in Estonia. In the 2007 parliamentary elections in Estonia
Estonian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections took place in Estonia on Sunday, March 4, 2007 to elect members of the Riigikogu. The electoral system was a two-tier semi-open list proportional representation system with a 5% election threshold...
he was a candidate for the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (Estonia)
The Constitution Party , known until 11 February 2006 as the Estonian United People's Party , was a political party in Estonia, mainly supported by the Russian minority.The party held 6 seats in the Riigikogu from 1999 to 2003...
. According to the Estonian Security Police the Constitution Party was a puppet-party supported and controlled from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, created by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) in 2007 as part of their campaign of "political intelligence manipulations
Russian influence operations in Estonia
According to the Estonian Security Police, Russian influence operations in Estonia form a complex system of financial, political, economic and espionage activities in Republic of Estonia for the purposes of influencing Estonia's political and economic decisions in ways considered favourable to...
".
In the 2009 municipal elections, after the fusion of the Constitution Party with the Estonian Left Party
Estonian Left Party
Estonian Left Party was a left socialist political party in Estonia.-History:In June 1988 Communist Party of Estonia , i.e. the Estonian branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, chief Karl Vaino was replaced by the reform-minded Soviet Ambassador to Nicaragua Vaino Väljas, the former...
he was a candidate for the newly formed Estonian United Left Party in the Russian dominated Maardu
Maardu
Maardu is a town and a municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area. The town covers an area of 22.76 km² and has a population of 16,529 ....
munincipality, but failed to get elected. He was known as a fierce supporter of Maardu mayor Georgi Bõstrov.
During campaigning for the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Estonia)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Estonia was the election of the delegation from Estonia to the European Parliament in 2009.The election day was 7 June 2009. Turnout was 43.9% – about 17.1% higher than during the previous election five years before...
, Drambjan published a manifesto denouncing Estonia as a morally bankrupt neo-Fascist country, contending the Estonian government had chosen civil war in its relationship with the Russian minority and chastising the Russian community for its slavish mentality in the face of discrimination.
Attack on Estonian Defence Ministry
On 11 August 2011 at around 15:00 hours local time Drambjan entered the Estonian Ministry of Defence headquarters building in central Tallinn armed with a pistol with about 100 rounds of ammunition and a bag containing ten to fifteen explosives. He opened fire in the entrance hall and detonated smoke bombs, but was not able to pass a security gate and enter the interior of the building. At the time the building was guarded by members of the Estonian Defence LeagueEstonian Defence League
The Estonian Defence League is the name of the unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Defence League is a paramilitary defence organization which aim is to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land area and its...
. He temporarily held two people captive, including one security guard. In a joint operation carried out by the police and the Kaitsepolitsei, the police K-Commando
K-Commando
K-Commando is a special unit of the Estonian Criminal Police, created in the 1991. It is a special unit of the Estonian police force similar in function to the SWAT teams in the U.S., and is responsible for such issues as managing hostage situations, riot management, high-risk raids and...
unit stormed the building and killed Drambjan in an exchange of fire.
Defence minister Mart Laar
Mart Laar
Mart Laar is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002, and is the leader of the conservative party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica...
was not in the building at the time.
Reactions
- Estonian prime minister Andrus AnsipAndrus AnsipAndrus Ansip is the current Prime Minister of Estonia, and chairman of the market liberal Estonian Reform Party .-Early life and career:...
believes Drambjan may have been inspired by the 2011 Norway attacks2011 Norway attacksThe 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential terrorist attacks against the government, the civilian population and a summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011....
. - Dimitri Klenski, a Russian Estonian politician, believes Drambjan was driven into his act by personal problems, not political motivations.
- Sergei Jürgens, leader of the United Left Party, accuses Defence Minister Mart LaarMart LaarMart Laar is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002, and is the leader of the conservative party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica...
of unjustly associating the actions of Drambjan with the United Left Party. - Mart LaarMart LaarMart Laar is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002, and is the leader of the conservative party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica...
, the Estonian defence minister, said Estonia will investigate whether the "massive propaganda attack against Estonia" launched by Russia in the previous week was a factor that inspired Drambjan's attack.