1 convicted for threatening minister

The Helsinki District Court on Tuesday sentenced a man to four-month suspended imprisonment for threatening and libeling Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo in October.

The court awarded the punishment to the 30-year-old man, a resident of Helsinki, as he published a picture on social media with a target drawn on the minister’s face and threatened to “hunt” her, reported the national broadcaster Yle.

The convict also threatened to blow the Pasila Police Station with an explosives-laden truck to disseminate his act widely. He also wrote to send a package to the interior ministry.

The convict said he wanted to criticise Maria Ohisalo, also the chair of Vihreä Liitto (Green League), protesting her activities. He claimed he tried to draw attention to an incident of a police crime against him, as he said that investigations were not launched into that case.

The court in its verdict said although the writing and the image in themselves fall within the scope of the freedom of expression, which enjoy broad protection under the Finnish law, but hate speech against the fundamental values of human rights do not enjoy the protection of freedom of expression, said the Yle report.

Ohisalo on November 4 lodged a criminal complaint with the police following the threats.

A hearing in this regard was held at the Helsinki District Court on 17 November.

The police arrested the man during the pre-trial investigation.