The Tallinn Administrative Court issued its decision on Wednesday. The court said that a person has the right to photograph a police building from a public place. A public place is, for example, a street. The police previously believed they had the right to prohibit this. But the court said that the laws do not prohibit it.
A man named Janno Saar also wanted to photograph inside a police building. In a place where everyone can enter. But the court did not grant him this right. The police themselves said that the laws do not prohibit photographing from the street.
ERR wrote last year that the police believed security had changed. Therefore, they wanted to prohibit photography. The police said their buildings are under state protection. But the court did not find a law that would prohibit photography.
Police lawyer Irina Punko said that security has changed. Old methods may no longer work. She said that some methods may seem too strict to people. But they are necessary to ensure safety.
Police officer Jaak Luksepp said that the police monitor their buildings. If they see something suspicious, they react quickly. The police have also placed signs on buildings prohibiting photography. If a person still takes photos, the police may ask why they are doing it.
The court's decision is not final. It can be appealed within 30 days.