Eyewitness - Estonia´s top investigative programme

In addition to tackling Estonian issues, Eyewitness does international reporting and has collaborated with colleagues abroad. It has taken its viewers to the four corners of the world: from UN Headquarters in New York to European Space Centre in Guyana and from the war zone in Afghanistan to brothels in Pattaya.

Eyewitness has also interviewed VIPs from Paolo Coelho to Phil Collins and Jakob von Uexküll to George Soros.

Eyewitness' recent high-profile reports include (see follow-up stories by international press):

 • Lady who loved a terrorist: interview with Anna Sundberg , ex-wife of terrorist Said Arif.
21.09.2016 "Pealtnägijale" rääkis oma loo rootslanna, kes oli aastaid abielus ohtliku terroristiga (ERR)

• Koeningsegg: Estonians behind the scenes of world's craziest production supercar Koenigsegg.
04.05.2016 Superauto Koenigseggi sünni juures on oluline roll eestlastel (ERR)

• India affair: AdvanFort, employer of detained security guards exposed as repeat offender.
27.04.2016 "Pealtnägija": Eesti laevakaitsjate tööandja on paadunud seaduserikkuja (ERR)
14.01.2016 Video | Call for help: Families of imprisoned Estonian anti-piracy guards address the president and PM (ERR News)

• "Panama Papers" expose Estonian tycoons and lawyers.
13.04.2016 "Pealtnägija" avaldas, kuhu offshore-skeemide niidid Eestis ulatuvad (ERR)
14.04.2016 Not beyond reproach: The Panama Papers make it to Estonia (ERR News)

• Looking for Lost Civilization. Spin-off series about Estonian-Mexican team of archaeologists looking for lost Mayan cities in Yucatan: Trailer, Episode 1 (ERR)

• Putting Sun in a box: Estonians involved in developing fusion a reactor that could bring endless energy
ITER.
17.12.2015 Eksperimentaalne tuumasünteesireaktor peibutab helgema tulevikuga (ERR)

• Russian military planes' cowboy-flights over Baltic Sea.
09.12.2015 "Pealtnägija": Vene sõjalennukid on tänavu juba 266 pimelendu korraldanud (ERR)

• Global celebrities and dignitaries send video-congratulatsions fo Arvo Pärt's 80th birthday.
09.11.2015 VIDEOS: Birthday greetings arrive from around the world as Arvo Pärt turns 80 (ERR News)

• Refugee crisis: on-site reports from Greece, Slovenia and Libyan coast.
18.11.2015 Kreeka linnapea "Pealtnägijale": inimkaubitsejad teenivad põgenike pealt iga päev 3 miljonit dollarit (ERR)
11.11.2015 ESTPOL-1 liige: me saame Sloveenias selgeks, mida pagulaskriis tähendab (ERR)
07.01.2015 "Pealtnägija" räägib Vahemere humanitaarkatastroofist (ERR)

• Artery of world trade: construction of second Suez canal.
30.09.2015 Jaanus Rahumägi "Pealtnägijale": kavatseme laieneda Suessi kanali ehituselt Liibüasse (ERR)

• First convert from Estonia joins ISIS in Syria.
21.01.2015 "Pealtnägija": Eestist pärit islamivõitleja Ivan-Abdurrahman võitleb Süürias uskmatutega (ERR)
22.01.2015 Estonian ISIS fighter a Muslim convert (ERR News)

• Searching for Sugar Man's Estonian muse. Oscar-winning story of Sixto Rodriguez has a surprising connection to small nation.
24.10.2014 VIDEO: Searching for Sugar Man's Estonian Archangel (ERR News)

• Heroes of biggest peace-time maritime disaster in the Baltics - 20 years after the Estonia ferry catastrophy.
24.09.2014 Uppunud parvlaevalt Estonia pääsenute ja päästjate meenutused (ERR)
25.09.2014 Swedish Rescue Workers Recall Estonia Ferry Disaster (ERR News)

• Killer on the run: Briton who admitted manslaughter escapes Estonia.
25.05.2014 Inimese tapmises süüdistatavat inglast pole võimalik tabada (ERR)
11.08.2014 Interpol Warrant Issued for Briton in 2011 Death in Northeastern Estonia (ERR News)

• First Olympic winner to take lie-detector test. Cross-country skier Kristina Šmigun took a polygraph exam to prove she didn't use doping.
19.02.2014 Šmigun-Vähi rääkis, kuidas ta läbis 98% täpsusega õige vastuse andva valedetektori testi (ERR)

• Undercover footage of malpractice and abuse in pig farms in Estonia, partially owned by international companies.
10.05.2012 Järkyttävää kuvamateriaalia Viron sikaloista - HKScanin sopimustila mukana (mtv3.fi)
10.05.2012 HKScan tekee ylimääräisen tarkastuksen Viron sikaloihin (Yle Uutiset)

• Exposing the role of Estonian top-politicians in arranging fictitious EU residence permits to wealthy Russians. The story resulted in several top resignations, a parliamentary and criminal investigation and revoking a number of residency permits.
09.12.2011 Estonian politicians accused of selling residence permits (Youtube.com)
29.02.2012 Journalists Awarded for Exposing Sale of Residence Permits (ERR News)

• Heinous killer or victim of persecution? Forensic doctor Teet Härm was charged but never convicted of one of the most notorious murders in Sweden's recent history. We bring to light evidence suggesting that incompetent investigation and media hysteria ruined an innocent man's life.
28.11.2010 The girl who really kicked the hornet's nest (Telegraph.co.uk)

• In-depth coverage of pick-pockets working the streets of Tallinn, the European cultural capital in 2011. Thieves caught on tape in real action.
25.10.2010 Silminnäkija: Tallinnan Taskuvarkaat (Yle.fi)

• Co-producing a documentary about highest ranking and most damaging Russian spy in NATO history, Herman Simm.
30.04.2010 New Documents Reveal Truth on NATO's 'Most Damaging' Spy (Spiegel Online International)
See also trailer of the documentary "The Spy Inside" ""

• Reuniting French adventurers with Soviet sailors, who saved their lives in 1978, but were separated for 30 years because of the Iron Curtain.
23.04.2010 Sauvetage. Quand l'Estonie rencontre Belle-Ile (LeTélégramme)
27.04.2010 30 ans après un naufrage, un Neversois retrouve ses sauveurs (Maville.com)

• Exposing Finnish sex-tourism in Estonia and adult entertainment's ties to Estonian dignitaries.
21.02.2008 Suomalaisia palvellut eliittibordellirinki paljastui Virossa (Iltasanomat)

• Investigating lucrative global gasoline blending business, made notorious by the Probo Koala case.
01.05.2009 Trafigura probeerde berichtgeving te beïnvloeden (de Wolkskrant)

• Tracking down a Spanish paedophile, who abused and blackmailed over 70 youngsters, pushing one of his victims in Estonia to commit suicide.
14.11.2008 Pädophiler tarnt sich als Mädchen (Focus Online)
22.10.2009 "Suicídate. Te será más fácil" (Público.es)
22.02.2011 Varón, persuasivo, joven y con dominio de la informática (Público.es)


All these stories have been accomplished by a small and dedicated editorial staff, headed by Mihkel Kärmas, including editors Anna Gavronski, Piret Järvis, Kristjan Pihl and Taavi Eilat and producer Piret Priisaar.

e-mail: pealtnagija[ät]err.ee
office: +3726284448, +3726284655