Parliament security chief sacked for Sipilä assault video leakage

The Chancellery Committee on Thursday decided to terminate Security Director of Parliament Jukka Savola for the leakage of the video footage of the attack on former prime minister Juha Sipilä captured by the security surveillance cameras of the parliament.

The committee at a meeting took the decision holding Savola responsible for breach of official duty and lack of confidence while discharging works, said the parliament in a press release.

Earlier, the parliament completed an investigation into the incident of the disclosure of the footage to public through news media.

On 18 February, Parliament’s Security Director Jukka Savola submitted a report to the committee, in which he admitted that he handed the footage over to the media.

Savola in his report said he gave the footage as a number of media houses wanted to see it from the surveillance camera recordings.

He said according to the Public Access to Information Act, as the director of parliamentary security, he has the discretion to decide whether and to what extent confidential information may be disclosed.

He also said that the requested footage could be handed over as it did not endanger the security of the parliament.

Sipilä, a lawmaker and former chief of the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland) came under attack in front of the parliament building on 7 January.

One person approached Sipilä and knocked him down, when he was walking over a pedestrian crossing in front of the parliament.

The police located the suspect during the investigation but are yet to unearth the motive of the alleged attack.

The incident was captured by surveillance cameras in the vicinity of Parliament buildings.