Estonia marks 75 years from the March deportations

Monday (March 25) marks the 75th anniversary of the 1949 deportations which saw over 20,000 Estonians forcibly deported to Siberia by the Soviet Union – almost 3 percent of the population. The majority of deportees were women and children under the age of 16. In total, over 90,000 people were banished from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in March 1949 and sent to Siberia in cattle cars.

On Monday afternoon, a ceremony took place at the memorial to victims of communism at Maarjamäe, on Tallinn's seafront.

President Alar Karis, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform), and other officials gave speeches.

Commemorative ceremonies also took place across Estonia, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

From 6 p.m. candles were lit on Tallinn's Freedom Square and Tartu's city council organized a similar event.

Gallery: Candles lit to commemorate 1949 March deportations anniversary