Ambassador Matsumura visited the Patarei Prison
2022/7/26
On July 26, Ambassador Matsumura visited the Patarei Prison at the invitation of Ms. Eli Pilve, Project Manager of the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory, who guided him during his visit to the Maarjamäe Memorial at the end of April.
The Ambassador was briefed on the background and significance of the prison, which was built in the 1830s as part of a fortress and functioned as a prison from 1918, after Estonia gained independence until 2002, and was a symbol of political terror between 1940 and 1991, when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany occupied Estonia, and political prisoners along with criminal offenders were held there. This visit gave him an opportunity to reflect on the situation at that time.
The Ambassador was briefed on the background and significance of the prison, which was built in the 1830s as part of a fortress and functioned as a prison from 1918, after Estonia gained independence until 2002, and was a symbol of political terror between 1940 and 1991, when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany occupied Estonia, and political prisoners along with criminal offenders were held there. This visit gave him an opportunity to reflect on the situation at that time.