In early September, journalist Henrik Evertsson and wreck expert and filmmaker Linus Andersson were sentenced to 40 day fines each by the Gothenburg District Court for violating the Law on Protection of the Grave Peace after their documentary about the Estonia wreck.
Both the prosecutor and the film crew appealed the verdict and on Wednesday comes the Court of Appeal's verdict. Prosecutor Helene Gestrin wants the sentences to be toughened.
"It is forbidden to conduct diving in this area, regardless of why you do it. The journalistic interest doesn't take away the ban, she said after the district court's ruling.
Debated
The case surrounding the documentary "Estonia – the find that changed history" where new holes in the Estonia's hull are discovered by the documentary makers, has taken several tours.
The documentary creators, who during the filming were on waters where international law of the sea applies, were acquitted by the district court in 2021. It then considered that international legislation outweighed the national one.
However, the Court of Appeals disagreed and sent the case back to the district court because not all objections were raised, according to the higher court. In September, the district court ruled that the men were guilty of violating the Law on the Protection of Grave Peace.
Wants to be acquitted
The two filmmakers want to be acquitted.
"We still believe that the Estonia Act does not apply in this case," Linus Andersson said immediately after the district court's ruling.
He also maintains that there would have been no other way to document the wreckage than in the way they did.