Silver Meikar

Silver Meikar (born February 12, 1978 in Tartu, Estonia) is an Estonian human rights activist and an advisor to the Estonian Institute of Human Rights. Silver Meikar was a member of the parliament of Estonia - Riigikogu in 2003-2004 and 2006-2011 in the Estonian Reform Party faction.

Silver Meikar received the basic and secondary school education in Tartu Miina Härma Gymnasium. He graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in economics in 2005.

He served as a member of Tartu City Council in 1999 - 2002 and 2005 - 2006. In 2003 Silver Meikar became a substitute member of the parliament of Estonia as Margus Hanson became the minister of defence. Silver Meikar was set up as a candidate to the European Parliament in 2004. He lost his seat in Riigikogu as Margus Hanson was dismissed in November 2004 due to the theft of classified documents from his home. Silver Meikar re-gained his seat on November 23, 2006 as Margus Hanson was convicted for leaking state-classified data.

Silver Meikar was re-elected to Riigikogu on March 4, 2007 and he served throughout his mandate as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

He became notable with political activities that encompass defending the human rights in Belarus, Burma, China and elsewhere, drawing attention to the difficult situation in developing countries and supporting the reform process in Ukraine and Georgia. He has also been advocating for the respect of civil liberties in Estonia. Silver Meikar has been the protagonist of electronic voting and e-democracy in Estonia. He was the first Estonian politician to create a personal weblog.

In 2012 The Order of the White Star, 4th class, was awarded to Silver Meikar for standing consistently for human rights, civil liberties, democracy and the principles of a state based on the rule of law.

In 2006 Silver Meikar published the book The Diary of the Orange Revolution ("Oranži revolutsiooni päevik" in Estonian) on the events in Ukraine from November 2004 to January 2005 when he was one of the observers of the presidential elections in Ukraine and later on a participant in the Orange Revolution. He published an article in "Russian Federation 2011: short-term prognosis" of the Academic Center for Baltic and Russian Studies on the relations between Belarus and Russia. He has published numerous articles in the Estonian media and is a regular contributor to the largest Estonian daily Postimees.

Silver Meikar is a member of the AWEPA governing council. From 2009 to 2012 he served as a chairman of board of Massi Miliano Ltd, a company pioneering in virtual fitting rooms. He was a member of the bureau of the Liberal International in 2008-2011.

In May 2011 Meikar published an article, claiming that he donated cash to Estonian Reform Party in 2009 and 2010, coming from unknown sources and given him by co-politician Kalev Lillo, according to a proposition made by Kristen Michal, Reform Party's secretary general. Lillo and Michal were presented with criminal charges. After a long and heated discussion in media, charges were dropped in 2012. On October 24, 2012, Meikar was thrown out of the party.

Silver Meikar is married and has a daughter and a son.