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Amnesty International Report 2003 - Finland

Covering events from January - December 2002

REPUBLIC OF FINLAND
Head of state: Tarja Halonen
Head of government: Paavo Lipponen
Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes
International Criminal Court: ratified

Seven imprisoned conscientious objectors to military service were considered prisoners of conscience. The Minister of Justice confirmed that the ministry was participating in the implementation of an Action Plan for combating racism.

Conscientious objection to military service

Under the 1998 Military Service Law, the length of alternative civilian service remained punitive. All conscientious objectors were required to perform 395 days of alternative civilian service, 215 days longer than the majority of recruits who perform military service. AI continued urging the government authorities to reduce the length of alternative civilian service in line with international standards on conscientious objection. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that it would continue to work for a reduced period of alternative service.

Prisoners of conscience

AI adopted seven conscientious objectors as prisoners of conscience during 2002 and called for their immediate and unconditional release. All were convicted of a "non-military service crime" and most of them were sentenced to 197 days' imprisonment. The majority refused alternative civilian service because of its discriminatory length.

Allegations of racism

In June the Minister of Justice, in a coordinated reply with the Ministry of the Interior, replied to a November 2001 letter from AI raising concerns about reports of racism and discriminatory practices by police towards Somali nationals in Hakunila, a suburb of Vantaa. The Minister confirmed that his ministry was participating in the implementation of an Action Plan for combating racism.

• Farah Muhamed lodged a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. An appeal he had lodged with the Supreme Court was rejected. Convicted of attempted manslaughter after an incident in 2000 in which the car he was driving hit and ran over a white man, the refugee from Somalia claimed that his conviction had been the result of racist and prejudicial behaviour by the police during the course of their investigations.