Prosecutor seeks conditional imprisonment for Paavo Teittinen, Antero Mukka in Helsinki defamation case

The prosecutor is seeking conditional imprisonment for Paavo Teittinen, a journalist at Helsingin Sanomat, and editor-in-chief Antero Mukka over an article published in the fall of 2021. They are charged with severe defamation. Additionally, the prosecutor is requesting fines for the former responsible editor-in-chief, Kaius Nieme, for a violation related to his role. All accused individuals deny the charges.

The article in question reported on the activities of a police officer involved in the Helsinki police’s sexual crime investigations. According to the prosecutor, the article presented false information or insinuations. Helsingin Sanomat is published by Sanoma Media Finland, which is the majority owner of STT.