Pärnu court convicts three brothers of human trafficking
Thursday 5th November 2026 on 11:01 in
Estonia
Pärnu County Court has convicted three brothers of human trafficking and sentenced each to five years in prison, suspended for a five-year probation period, ERR reports. Their father, Peeter Kaares, will face a separate proceeding.
The court ruled that the prison terms will not be enforced if Kaido, Kert and Kevin Kaares commit no new offences during probation and comply with the supervision requirements and other obligations imposed on them. The probation period began when the verdict was announced.
The court ordered Kuivainetekeskus OÜ, a company, to pay 100,000 euros to the Estonian state as a substitute for confiscation. The sum is to be paid in instalments. The brothers were also each ordered to pay 4,237.95 euros in legal costs to the state.
The court approved settlements on compensation claims. Peeter Kaares and the three brothers will jointly pay one victim 42,000 euros, while Kaido and Kert Kaares will jointly pay another victim 35,000 euros. The compensation has been deposited with the prosecutor’s office and will be transferred to the victims after the judgment takes effect.
According to the prosecution, the brothers and their father kept two victims under their influence and control for more than four years, using them as unpaid labour for financial gain. The victims mainly made firewood and prepared it for sale. Prosecutors said they had no real say over their working and living conditions and could not leave independently.
The prosecution said the defendants exploited the victims’ dependent and vulnerable circumstances, including restricting their access to documents, money and contact with relatives. Kevin Kaares was also accused of using one victim’s bank card and PIN codes without permission and withdrawing a total of 20,630 euros from the victim’s account.
The judgment is not final and can be appealed in writing to the Tallinn Circuit Court within 15 days of its public announcement. Peeter Kaares’s case was separated because health problems had kept him from hearings for an extended period. The court ordered a forensic medical assessment and an outpatient forensic psychiatric examination to evaluate his health.