Guidance

Information pack for British nationals detained or imprisoned in Finland

Updated 8 April 2026

Chapter 1: Key Points

Overview

If you are a British national, and are arrested or detained in another country, consular staff will do what they can to help you, but they cannot interfere with the local justice system, get you out of jail, or pay for services such as a lawyer.  Information about who we can help, including the circumstances in which we can assist dual nationals, is available at: Support for British nationals abroad.        

This detention information pack is designed to give you, and your family and friends, information about the local system in Finland and who can help.  A printed copy is provided to those in prison or in custody, which you can download at:  /government/collections/prisoner-pack.  We welcome feedback to help us improve the information we can provide to others.

Contacting us

If you are arrested or detained in another country:

• the authorities should ask whether you want them to contact the British Consulate (and must do so if you want them to)
• even if they do not ask, you can make the request yourself, and should do so, particularly if you are charged with a serious offence or need any kind of assistance
• friends or family can also contact the local British Consulate or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London on +44 (0)20 7008 5000

In some countries, the authorities might notify the British Consulate even if you don’t want anyone to know that you have been arrested.  This is because there may be an agreement in place with the British Government which requires a mandatory notification to be made. 

Who we are

Consular staff work in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London, and in British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates overseas. 

The British Embassy in Finland
Itäinen Puistotie 17
FIN - 00140 Helsinki

Tel: +358 (0)9 2286 52100
Email: consular.helsinki@fcdo.gov.uk

You can also contact us by phone 24/7 for help or advice from anywhere in the world by calling the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 020 7008 5000.

What we can do

The FCDO can offer you impartial and non-judgemental help.  Once notified of your arrest or detention, consular staff will aim to contact you as soon as possible so that we can assess how we can help you.  We then aim to provide assistance according to your individual circumstances and local conditions: our priority is to provide assistance to those British nationals overseas that need our help the most.

In Finland, notification by the authorities to the Consulate normally takes place at the latest when the police apply for a detention order for you. If you are under arrest, the application for a detention order must be dealt with within 4 days of the day on which you were apprehended at the latest. The court will hold a detention hearing and decide whether you must be detained or set free. Instead of ordering you to be detained, the court may also place you under a travel ban.  

Once we are notified, we aim to contact you as soon as possible. 

We can also:

• provide a list of local English-speaking lawyers and interpreters
• provide general information about the country, detention conditions, and the local legal system (including if legal aid is available)
• provide general information about the local prison or remand system, including visiting arrangements, mail and censorship, privileges, and welfare services
• keep in regular contact with you, either by visiting or by telephone/letter. The frequency of contact will depend on local conditions and your personal circumstances
• tell the police or prison doctor, with your permission, about any medical or dental problems including medication
• put you, or your family, in touch with a prisoners’ welfare charity called Prisoners Abroad
• in some circumstances we may be able to help take up complaints with the police or prison authorities about ill treatment, personal safety, or discrimination, if you are not treated in line with internationally recognised standards
• in some circumstances we may be able to help you apply for a transfer to a prison in the UK

What we can’t do

• get you out of prison or detention
• help you get special treatment
• offer legal advice, start legal proceedings or investigate a crime
• pay for any costs as a result of being arrested
• forward you packages sent by friends or family
• prevent authorities from deporting you after release

First Steps

Can you / will you tell my family? 

If you want us to, we can tell your family or friends that you have been detained and can provide them with information about how to contact you in prison or detention.  With your consent, we can also keep them updated on your well-being. 

If you are not sure about informing your family, we can help you consider the impact that not doing so might have.  For example, it may cause them distress if they do not know where you are, or cannot contact you. It can also be a disadvantage to you if you need someone to send you money or act on your behalf while you are detained.

Will the UK Police be informed?

If you are accused of certain serious offences, such as sexual assault or drugs trafficking, we are obliged to share information about your arrest with UK police.  It is therefore possible that information about this may appear if a criminal records extract were requested by a prospective employer. There may be other circumstances in which information about you may need to be shared by ourselves or authorities in Finland.

Do I need a lawyer?  / How can I find a lawyer?

Although we cannot give legal advice, start legal proceedings, or investigate a crime, we can offer basic information about the local legal system, including whether a legal aid scheme is available. We can give you a list of local interpreters and a list of local English-speaking lawyers is attached to this pack.  You will want to consider the benefits of local legal representation and to discuss all the costs beforehand with the legal representative. In no circumstances can we pay your legal or interpretation costs.

Can you get me out?

We cannot get you out of prison or detention, nor can we get special treatment for you because you are British.  However if you are not treated in line with internationally accepted standards we will consider whether to approach local authorities.  This may include if your trial does not follow internationally recognised standards for fair trial or is unreasonably delayed compared to local cases.

Who else can help me?

We can put you, or your family, in touch with Prisoners Abroad, a UK charity which supports British citizens detained overseas and their families: www.prisonersabroad.org.uk

Chapter 2: Detention conditions in Finland

Visits – friends and family

Can my family and friends visit me? How can I arrange a visit?

You have the right to be in touch with your close kin, such as the members of your immediate family, unless the police have a serious reason to restrict your contacts. The police must also inform your next-of-kin about your arrest without delay, unless that causes difficulties for the investigation.

What can visitors expect?

Every detainee/prisoner and place of detention have their own particular rules for visitors. Please speak to the police/prison authorities about the conditions that concern you.

Please note that your close relatives or partners may need to show evidence of their relationship to you. If the evidence is British (birth/marriage certificate, cohabitation contract etc) the documents must be legalised by an Apostille stamp in the UK: /get-document-legalised  

What can visitors bring?

Ask police/prison authorities what you are permitted to receive.

Visits – consular staff

You have the right to contact your embassy, unless the police have a serious reason to restrict your contacts. In general, the embassy is informed at the latest when the police apply for a detention order for you.

We can visit you, if you so wish, once after the detention and once after a possible prison sentence is final. To arrange a visit, please contact us (address and telephone number below) or ask the police/prison authorities to let us know you request a visit from the embassy.

You can write to us at any time on matters of concern:

Consular services
Itäinen Puistotie 17
FIN - 00140 Helsinki
Tel: +358 (0)9 2286 5100

Chapter 3: the Finnish judicial system

Arrival at the police station and basic rights

Why may the police want to question me?

If the police suspect that you know something about an alleged crime, they may question you. The purpose of the questioning is to find out about the alleged crime and the person who committed it. You may also be questioned because the police want to find out what benefit the crime has given, even if you are not suspected of it.

What will I be told about my rights?

The police must inform you of your position in the questioning (victim/suspect/witness) as soon as possible and at least before the questioning begins. As a rule, you have the right to have a lawyer with you during the questioning if you are either a victim or a suspect. If you are questioned as a suspect, the police must also tell you what they suspect you of.

If the police have apprehended you because they suspect you of a crime or you have been arrested or detained, the police must tell you about your right to use a lawyer without delay. Generally, you need not answer any questions before your lawyer is present, if you do demand a lawyer. However, you must always give the questioner your correct personal details, even if your lawyer is not present.

The police have a duty to treat you calmly and rationally during questioning. The police may not give any knowingly false statements, promises or fabrications concerning any special benefits, or tire, threaten or coerce the person being questioned, or use any other inappropriate means or methods to influence the person’s willpower, memory, judgement or freedom to decide in order to extract a confession or influence the type of statement given.

What happens if I don’t speak the local language?

If you do not speak Finnish or Swedish, the police will arrange for an interpreter to assist you during the questioning. For more information on your linguistic rights see Linguistic rights . Some police officers can use English during questioning. You do not have to pay for the interpreter. The interpreter must translate the questions from the police and your answers.

Also, at the end of the questioning, you and the interpreter will tread through the examination record together, and you can then point out if the police have recorded something incorrectly. It is very important that you go through the record carefully with the interpreter because its contents may be used against you at the trial.

May I use a lawyer?

As a rule, you always have the right to use a lawyer during questioning, whether you have been arrested or not. Generally, you need not answer any questions before your lawyer is present. If you need an interpreter, you may also use one when you are talking with your lawyer.

If you know of a lawyer whom you want to use, you may ask the police to contact him or her. If you do not know of any lawyer, the police can find you one. The police may also give you a list of lawyers who often manage criminal cases, or give you a list of lawyers who are members of the Finnish Bar Association. You may then choose a lawyer yourself, and the police will contact him or her.

Do I have to answer the police questions?

You must always give the police your correct personal details. You need not answer any other questions. If you know of something that would help to solve the crime and remove the suspicion against you, it may be sensible to answer the questions. You should talk with your lawyer about whether you should answer the questions or not.

Can the police conduct a body search and take my fingerprints?

If you are suspected of a crime, the police have the right to take your fingerprints. The police have the right to conduct a personal search – that is, to check what you have in your clothing or otherwise on you – if you are suspected of a crime for which the maximum sentence is at least 6 months’ imprisonment or the alleged crime is a crime mentioned in Chapter 8, Section 31 of the Coercive Measures Act.

The police have the right to conduct a body search, including taking a blood sample or other examination of your body, if you are suspected of a crime for which the maximum sentence is more than 6 months’ imprisonment or if the crime is one that is mentioned in Chapter 8, Section 32 of the Coercive Measures Act. In practice, ordinary crimes, such as theft, aggravated assault and narcotics offences, are crimes for which a body search may be carried out; this may mean that a DNA sample is taken.

Arrest

Why may the police arrest me?

The purpose of an arrest is to safeguard the criminal investigation. The police may arrest you if they suspect you of a serious crime, for which the minimum sentence is 2 years’ imprisonment. In this case they need no other grounds for arrest except a serious enough suspicion that you have committed the crime.

If they suspect that you have committed a less serious crime, such as aggravated assault or theft, they may arrest you if, in addition to the alleged crime, they have cause to suspect that you may:

• run away or otherwise avoid the investigation
• make it more difficult to investigate the matter
• continue to commit more crimes

In addition, the police may arrest you if they do not know you and you refuse to tell them your name or address or give them a name or address which is obviously false. If you do not have a permanent residence in Finland and it is likely that you may leave the country to avoid the investigation, the trial or the enforcement of the sentence, the police may also arrest you.

A civil servant who has the right to decide about arrests will decide about your arrest, and a court order is not needed. Civil servants who can decide about arrests include higher-ranking police officers, the public prosecutor and higher-ranking Customs and Border Guard officers. Chapter 2, Section 9 of the Coercive Measures Act contains the legal provisions about civil servants entitled to make arrests.

What will I be told about my arrest?

The police must tell you why you are arrested as soon as you have been declared arrested or apprehended on the basis of an arrest warrant. They must also inform a family member or other close person about the arrest if you ask them to do so, unless this causes difficulty for the investigation.

I do not speak the local language. Do I have the right to an interpreter?

If you do not speak Finnish or Swedish, the police will arrange an interpreter for you. For more information on your linguistic rights see Linguistic rights (6). Sometimes police officers may also conduct their questioning in English, if you both feel that you can manage in English. You need not answer any questions before the interpreter is present.

Can I meet with my lawyer?

You always have the right to meet with your lawyer when you have been arrested. At your request, a defence counsel will also be appointed for you. The State will pay the defence counsel’s fee. You may choose your lawyer yourself, but he or she must have a degree in law.

You have the right to talk to your lawyer without the police being present, and your discussion may not be listened to or recorded. If you need an interpreter, he or she can also be present when you talk to your lawyer.

Do I have to answer the police questions?

You do not need to answer any questions that the police ask you, except to give your personal details. Sometimes it is in your own interest that you do answer the questions because it may help to clarify what has happened and the suspicion against you may diminish. When the court reflects on your guilt, they may take into account that you have not replied to questions. However, not replying to questions alone is never a sufficient cause for sentencing.

What if I say things that may harm my case?

It is your fundamental right that you do not need to help in establishing your own guilt. This means that you have no duty to say things that support your guilt.

However, if you decide to talk about things only in court, you must be prepared to explain why you haven’t said anything before. The court has the right to bear in mind that you only said at the trial that you were somewhere else when the crime took place. This may harm the credibility of your story.

If you mention things during the questioning that later prove harmful to your case, your story may be used against you. If you tell a different story at the trial than what you said during the questioning, you must be able to explain why, or the court may not think your story is credible.

May the police take my fingerprints? May my DNA sample be registered?

In general, if you have been arrested, the police may always take your fingerprints and register your DNA.

Can the police conduct a personal search on me?

The police may order that a search is carried out on you. The search may be a personal search to find out what you have in your clothing or otherwise on you, or a body search, which includes searching your body, taking a blood sample or other examination of your body.

If the body search requires medical expertise, only a physician may do it. Otherwise, the police or a health professional will do it.

The legislation contains conditions for when a body search is allowed; for example, the seriousness of the suspicion. In practice, all ordinary crimes (theft, aggravated assault and narcotics offences) allow the police to carry out a bodily search.

What happens if I am arrested on the basis of a European Arrest Warrant?

If another Member State has issued a European Arrest Warrant for you, you may be arrested and detained for extradition to the State that has issued the Arrest Warrant. During the detention hearing you have the right to have a defence counsel and an interpreter. The State will pay their fees and you don’t need to pay them back to the State. You may choose your lawyer yourself in the same way as when you are otherwise suspected of a crime.

First court hearing

Why is the first court hearing arranged?

If the police apply for a detention order for you, the court must decide about the detention. If you have not been arrested and the police do not apply for a detention order, the first court hearing will usually be the actual main hearing of the case.

If you have been arrested, the police must apply for a detention order for you as soon as possible and at the latest before 12 o’clock on the third day after you were apprehended. If not, you must be set free. The court must deal with the application for a detention order without delay.

If you are under arrest, the application for a detention order must be dealt with within 4 days of the day on which you were apprehended at the latest. The court will hold a detention hearing and decide whether you must be detained or set free. Instead of ordering you to be detained, the court may also place you under a travel ban.

Together with being detained, the court may also order restrictions on your contacts. This means that during the beginning of your detention you may not contact anyone other than your lawyer.

There is no bail system in Finland; in other words, you may not lodge a sum of money with the court that would allow you to be set free to wait for the main hearing.

Do I have the right to a lawyer?

In the detention hearing you have the right to a lawyer. At your request, the lawyer must be appointed as your defence counsel, which means that the State will pay his or her fees at first hand. You also have the right to manage your defence on your own, but if the police apply for a detention order, it is recommended that you use a lawyer. You may choose your lawyer yourself.

Do I have the right to an interpreter if I don’t understand the language?

If you do not understand Finnish or Swedish, the court will find you an interpreter. The State will pay the interpreter’s fee. For more information on your linguistic rights see Linguistic rights. At the hearing, the application for a detention order will be interpreted to you, if you haven’t gone through it with your lawyer and interpreter before the hearing. At the hearing, all speeches will be interpreted if needed.

Do I have to speak in court?

You don’t have to speak in court. If you have a lawyer, he or she may reply to the application for a detention order on your behalf. However, you have the right to be heard in person if you want to be.

Do I have to give other information in court?

In court – as otherwise during the criminal investigation – you don’t have to give any information about the alleged crime. However, this might often be helpful. Your lawyer will help you to decide whether it would be better to speak and provide information.

Will I be detained or set free after the hearing?

If the court decides that there is cause to detain you and that a travel ban is not enough, you will be detained. If you don’t have a permanent address in Finland, a travel ban is not possible in practice.

If the court decides that there are no grounds for detaining you, it will order that you must be set free immediately. In Finland it is not possible to set a sum of money as a guarantee. At the end of the detention hearing you will either be detained, placed under a travel ban or set free. Even if the court decides that you should be detained, you may not be detained if this would be unreasonable because of your state of health, for example.

If you are detained, the court will set a date by which the prosecutor must bring charges. This date may be postponed if the prosecutor so demands. There is no maximum period for bringing the charges, but it may not be longer than is necessary for completing the criminal investigation and preparing the charges.

If it turns out that the time set for bringing the charges is too short, the court may extend it at the prosecutor’s request. The court must give you and your lawyer the opportunity to be heard because of the request.

Is the detention hearing public?

As a rule, court sessions are public, and this is also true for detention hearings. In general, however, for reasons of investigation, the police will request that the detention hearing takes place without the public and that the material in the case is kept secret until the charges are considered. The end result of the hearing is always public.

Can I appeal if the court orders me to be detained?

You may appeal against the detention order at the Court of Appeal without a specified appeal period. The Court of Appeal will consider your appeal as an urgent matter. As a rule, hearings at the Court of Appeal are written.

The court must also reconsider your detention if you demand it and even if you have not appealed against the detention. However, a detention matter need not be reconsidered until 2 weeks after the first hearing. Your lawyer will give you more information on the conditions under which you may find it better to demand reconsideration. When the matter of your detention is reconsidered, this may also take place by a video link. You are then in prison either on your own or with your lawyer and the judge sits in court either alone or in the presence of your lawyer, and you are connected through a video link.

May I leave the country before the trial?

If the court decides at the detention hearing that you must be set free, you may leave the country freely. If the court places you under a travel ban, the court order will specify the content of the ban. If the investigation against you is continued and you have left the country, you may be detained in your absence, if necessary, and a European Arrest Warrant will be issued for you if you cannot be reached.

Appearing in court: Before the main hearing, prosecutor’s consideration of charges

What happens before the main hearing?

The police will conduct the criminal investigation, and when it is complete they will send the criminal investigation record to the prosecutor. If a defence counsel has been appointed for you, the record will also be sent to him or her.

You and your lawyer have the right to request further investigation if you think the investigation is not complete in some way. You have the right to receive a copy of the criminal investigation record. If a defence counsel has not been appointed for you, the investigation material will not be sent to you or your lawyer automatically.

After this, the prosecutor decides about bringing charges. If charges are brought, you will receive a copy of the application for summons, and you will also be summoned to the main hearing. The application for summons lists the charges as well as the evidence and witnesses the prosecutor will call in order to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

You have the right to name witnesses or evidence of your own. In general, it is better if the police question people during the criminal investigation before the court hearing. You should ask your lawyer what to do if you want to call a person as a witness and the prosecutor has not named him or her.

Will there always be a main hearing?

If the prosecutor finds that there is no probable cause to support your guilt, he or she will decide to waive the charges (not bring charges), and the matter will normally stop there. If this happens and you are in detention, you will be set free at once.

The prosecutor can also decide to waive charges although he or she considers you to be guilty. In that case the prosecutor thinks a trial is not necessary. This may be because it is a minor offence, or because of your young age. If you feel that you are not guilty of the crime, even though the prosecutor thinks you are, you have the right to bring the matter before a court for a decision.

The victim has also the right to bring charges if the prosecutor has decided to waive the charges against you.

Certain minor offences can also be dealt with in a written procedure, which means that there will be no actual main hearing. A written procedure can be arranged if, for example, you have admitted your guilt and consent to the procedure.

Can I admit my guilt before the trial?

You may admit to the police that you are guilty of the crime. Your case may still proceed to a main hearing if the prosecutor brings charges and a written procedure is not possible. Sometimes, if you confess and help the investigation of the crime, this may help to reduce your sentence, but this depends on the court’s deliberation.

A confession does not affect your right to appeal, and you may also withdraw your confession at any time. However, even if you have withdrawn your confession, the court may take it into account when it considers whether you are guilty.

Can the names of the charges be changed before the trial?

Depending on how the investigation proceeds, the names of the charges may change during the criminal investigation. The prosecutor may also charge you with a crime that is different from the one you are suspected of, as long as the main points of the crime have been determined during the criminal investigation (for example, the police have suspected you of murder but the prosecutor charges you with manslaughter). The prosecutor may add more detail about the charges, even after they have been brought.

Can I be charged with a crime that I have already been charged with in another Member State?

As a rule, you may not be charged with a crime that you have already been charged with in another Member State. However, this requires that the decision given in the other Member State is final and one of the following is true:

• the charges were dismissed
• you were found guilty but were not sentenced to a punishment
• the sentence has been enforced or is being enforced
• the sentence has lapsed according to the legislation of the country in which the sentence was passed

If you feel that you have been charged with a crime that you have already been charged with in another Member State, you should definitely speak to your lawyer about it.

Complaining about police actions

I feel that the police have acted incorrectly towards me. Who can I complain to?

If you feel that, while engaged in his or her duties, a police officer has acted incorrectly towards you, you can make an administrative complaint. His or her actions will then be investigated.

An administrative complaint is submitted to a higher police officer or to the highest guardian of the law. The highest guardians of the law are the Chancellor of Justice and the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The complaint must be made in writing, but otherwise its form is free.

If you suspect that a police officer has committed a crime, you can make a crime report about him or her. The police have the duty to always register the report on the basis of your information. The prosecutor always leads an investigation if a police officer is suspected of a crime. In this case, only the prosecutor is entitled to decide whether there is cause to suspect a crime and whether a criminal investigation must be conducted. The police must send a copy of the crime report to the relevant prosecutor unit without delay, so that an investigator in charge may be appointed. You also have the right to know whether a criminal investigation is being started and how the investigation is proceeding.

If the police treat you improperly, you should always ask your lawyer for advice on what you should do about it.

Linguistic rights – conditional imprisonment:

When you are suspected of a crime, you have the right to use either Finnish or Swedish at all stages of the criminal process. If you do not speak Finnish or Swedish, an interpreter will be arranged for you for both the questioning and the trial. You also have the right to an interpreter when talking to your lawyer in connection with questioning sessions. You will not have to pay for the interpreter.

Some police officers can use English during the questioning; in exceptional cases, they may be able to use other languages as well. If you feel that you and the police officer do not understand each other because of language issues, you have the right to demand an interpreter. It is very important that you understand the content of the questioning so that you can sign the examination record on your own behalf.

The authorities do not have to translate all the material that has been collected during the criminal investigation into a language that you understand. In general, the criminal investigation material is not translated. For this reason, it is important that you have a lawyer who understands the language used in the criminal investigation. The application for summons will either be translated or interpreted orally to you.

Related links:

• Judicial system
• Ministry of Justice
• Criminal Procedure Act
• Police
• Act on Extradition on the Basis of an Offence Between Finland and the Member States of the European Union
• More information on pre-trial investigation and coercive measures
• Complaining about police actions (Under ‘Complaints procedure’)

Where does the trial take place?

Criminal trials are normally held in a general court of first instance. These are called District Courts. Generally, the court in the area where the alleged crime was committed will hear the case. Trials are normally public. This means that anyone may be present at your trial. However, the court may order that certain cases, such as matters related to sexual crimes, are heard fully or in part without the public being present. The same is true if you are under 18 years of age when you face charges.

The composition of the court depends on the nature of the case. Your case may be heard by one judge, one judge and 3 lay judges, 2 judges and 3 or 4 lay judges, or 3 judges. As a rule, the composition depends on how serious the crime is.

Can the charges be changed during the trial?

Normally, a charge may not be changed after it has been brought. However, the prosecutor may extend the charge to cover another act if the court finds it appropriate in view of the evidence presented.

The following do not mean that the charge is changed: if the prosecutor restricts the charge, or announces a new section of law that was not mentioned in the application for a summons, or brings in a new fact to support the charge.

If you plead guilty to all or some points of the charge during the trial, the court may not need to hear so much evidence. In simple criminal matters the defendant’s confession is usually enough for a judgment. However, the more serious the crime is, the more evidence is needed in addition to a confession.

What are my rights during the trial?

You always have the right to be present at a trial, unless your case is decided in chambers in a written procedure. In this case, you may be sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment at most. However, if the sentence is more than 6 months’ imprisonment, the court must allow you to present an oral statement.

For some minor offences, you may be sentenced even if you are not present. In this case the sentence may be a fine or a maximum of 3 months’ imprisonment and a forfeiture of EUR 10,000 at most

If you are summoned to the trial in person, you must be present throughout the trial, unless the court allows you to leave. If you need an interpreter, one will be found for you.

You have the right to manage your defence by yourself. You also have the right to use a lawyer. If you come to the trial without a lawyer and the court finds that you are not able to defend yourself, the court may order a lawyer to be your defence counsel, even against your will. In principle, you have the right to change your lawyer at any time.

You have the right, but not the duty, to speak at the trial. As a defendant, you do not have to help the court to determine your guilt. If you want to be heard in the case, you do not have to tell the truth, except about your personal details and your income. The court will compare your account to the accounts of other people heard in the case and to the evidence, and will then consider how reliable your account is.

What are my rights in relation to the evidence against me?

You have the right to study the evidence if that does not harm the criminal investigation. In principle, any evidence against you can be used in court. However, the court has the right to restrict the presenting of evidence or hearing of witnesses that clearly cannot have an effect on the judgment.

You also have the right to present evidence or to hear witnesses of your own. You should find and present such evidence or witnesses as early as possible, but you may present them for the first time at the main hearing or even during the appeal. However, if you present new witnesses or evidence at a very late stage, the court may have some doubts about their importance when it considers your guilt.

You and your lawyer have the right to question all witnesses in the case. If you use a lawyer, he or she will generally ask the questions in court on your behalf.

Finnish courts have free discretion over the evidence. This means that the court decides the importance of each piece of evidence or witness.

Will information in my criminal record be taken into account?

If you have a criminal record in Finland, it will be taken into account when deciding the sentence. The criminal record may affect whether your sentence will be unconditional or conditional imprisonment. In addition, it may make your sentence more severe if the court thinks that your previous crimes show that you do not respect the law.

A previous sentence in Finland may also make your sentence less severe if the charge that is now being heard could have been heard together with the earlier charges. The court may also take an unconditional prison sentence and community service in another Member State into account with a view to adjusting the sentence.

What happens at the end of the trial?

The trial ends at the judgment, which is handed down either the same day or later in chambers. The judgment may find you guilty of all or some of the crimes mentioned in the charge, or the charges may be dismissed.

If the court finds you guilty, the following sentences are possible:

• unconditional imprisonment
• conditional imprisonment (suspended imprisonment)
• monitoring sentence
• community service
• juvenile punishment
• fine

Unconditional imprisonment

Unconditional imprisonment may vary from 14 days to a life sentence. If the sentence is more than 2 years in prison, it is always unconditional.

Conditional imprisonment (suspended imprisonment)

A prison sentence of up to 2 years may be suspended if the court decides that is appropriate. You may be sentenced to a fine as well as a suspended prison sentence or, if the conditional imprisonment is longer than a year, to between 20 and 90 hours community service.

A suspended prison sentence always goes together with a probationary period of at least one and at most 13 years. If you do not commit new crimes during this period, your prison sentence will not be enforced. If you do commit a new crime during this period and you are sentenced to unconditional imprisonment because of that, the court may order that your suspended sentence is also enforced.

The court may impose supervision in addition to conditional imprisonment if it is necessary to prevent new offences or if conditional imprisonment alone is considered an insufficient punishment for the offence. The supervision period lasts 15 months.

Sentences of conditional imprisonment are enforced by probation offices, and they include regular appointments with a supervisor. The appointments are confidential.

Monitoring sentence

The court may impose a monitoring sentence if it is considered to support your social coping and prevent reoffending. You will live at home, but your activity will be monitored using technical devices and other means. The maximum duration is 6 months.

Community service

An unconditional prison sentence of up to 8 months may be converted to community service. This generally requires that you have a domicile in Finland. Community service may not be possible if you have previous sentences of unconditional imprisonment or community service.

Juvenile punishment

If you are under 18 and you commit a crime, you may be sentenced to a juvenile punishment. This is a special penalty for young offenders. It is heavier than a fine but milder than unconditional imprisonment.

Fine

For minor offences, you may be sentenced to a fine. Fines are imposed as unit fines. The minimum number of units is one and the maximum 120. If you are sentenced to fines for several crimes at the same time, the maximum may be more.

The amount of one unit fine depends on your income at the time of the trial. At the moment, the smallest unit fine is 6 euros.

If you do not pay the fine imposed by the court, it will be converted to imprisonment. Three unpaid unit fines correspond to one day of imprisonment.

What is the role of the victim during the trial?

In Finland, the role of the victim, or the injured party, is fairly strong during the trial. The injured party may join in with the charge brought by the prosecutor or present a different charge. The victim also has the right to bring charges if the prosecutor decides to waive the charges. In addition, the injured party may demand compensation from the person suspected of the crime.

The injured party is usually asked during the criminal investigation whether he or she demands a penalty for the person suspected and/or compensation for the crime. They may also present their demands at the main hearing.

Related links

• Act on the Publicity of Court Proceedings in General Courts (in English) 
• Act on Criminal Procedure (in English) 
• Criminal Code (in English) 
• If you become a victim of crime (Oikeus.fi)
• Code of Judicial Procedure (in English)
• Legal Register Centre

Initial arrival at the prison

Personal property

You are allowed to have a reasonable amount of personal property in your possession in prison. The articles may not cause harm to the cleanliness, order, safety, or security of the prison. You can bring, for instance, clothes, books, and personal hygiene products (not, however, liquids or pastes) with you in prison. The cells are equipped with a television. Electrical devices are inspected at your expense before they are given into your possession in prison.

In closed prisons, you are not allowed to use a mobile phone. Open prisons have different practices regarding the use of mobile phones. On certain conditions, some open prisons may allow you to use your own mobile phone if it does not have any smart phone features or a camera. Some open prisons give prisoners a mobile phone, which they can use there. You are not allowed to use your own tablet or a similar device.

Health

If you have continuous medication when your prison sentence begins, it is important that you bring a few days’ worth of necessary medication as well as the prescriptions and possible medical certificates with you. The Prisoners’ Health Care Unit arranges the health services for prisoners. The Unit provides primary health care services, dental health care services, and psychiatric health care services mainly by itself. Other specialised health care services and emergency services are outsourced.

The administration of the Prisoners’ Health Care Unit operates under the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The Prisoners’ Health Care Unit works in close cooperation with the Prison and Probation Service.

Each sentenced person arriving in prison from freedom is given free personal hygiene products, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, disposable razors, and shampoo. The prison provides some hygiene products for the prisoners in the washing facilities of the prison.

The prison rules of each prison contain more specific regulations on the prisoners’ right to possess property and on other issues relating to the maintenance of prison order. Before you go to prison, you can get further information from the prison in question or on the website of the Prison and Probation Service, www.rikosseuraamus.fi.

Accommodation

As the number of prisoners has increased significantly, there is overcrowding especially in closed prisons. Currently, more prisoners need to be placed in the prisons than there are confirmed prisoner places.

When renovating prisons, the accommodation premises of prisoners have to be equipped so that they meet the requirements set on accommodation premises in general building legislation. All closed prisons have private toilets inside prison cells. In some cells, there may even be a shower.

In their free time, prisoners are obligated to attend to the cleaning and sanitation of their cells or accommodation rooms and the common living areas as well as to household chores.

If you are going to a closed prison

You must bring an identity card or other valid document with a photograph, which proves your identity, with you when you enter a closed prison. For the purpose of using electronic services, you should also bring the codes needed for strong electronic identification with you. In practice, it means online banking codes (a code card, a code calculator, or a device for mobile identification such as a smartphone). You are not allowed to have these means of identification in your possession but you can use them under supervision when needed. In addition, you must have a bank account number with you because, when you are released, the funds on the Prepaid Card given by the Prison and Probation Service will be transferred to that bank account.

You should take some money with you for shopping in the prison canteen. In closed prisons, the possession of money is forbidden. The money that you receive from outside the prison and the financial benefits paid by the prison are deposited in a personal Prepaid Card, which, in a closed prison, you can get into your possession or leave for storage if you want. Each Prepaid Card has an individual account number and a PIN code, which you need when you use the card. When you are on a prison leave, you can use the Prepaid Card outside the prison to withdraw money at cash machines or to pay in places that accept a chip card.

Obligation to participate in activities

You are obliged to participate in activities organised or approved by the prison that promotes the implementation of the sentence plan.

Clothing

In closed prisons, prisoners can wear prison clothes or their own clothes. In some cases, prisoners’ choice of clothes can be restricted for the sake of the prisons’ order.

Contacts with the outside world

You can find detailed instructions on the visiting possibilities, correspondence, postal items, telephone use, and prison leaves in the prison rules. If you are going to an open prison, you may have been placed in an open prison but ordered to report to a closed prison for the purpose of substance use tests. If the substance tests are negative, you are transferred to the open prison as soon as possible.

You must bring an identity card or other valid document with a photograph, which proves your identity, with you when you enter an open prison. You should also take your health insurance card, i.e. the so-called Kela card, with you. For the purpose of using electronic services, you should also bring the codes needed for strong electronic identification with you. In practice, it means online banking codes (a code card, a code calculator, or a device for mobile identification such as a smartphone).

Bank account

In open prisons, the earnings and benefits are paid into your own bank account. Therefore, you need your bank account number with you. The earnings and benefits are paid into that account, which you have told us, on the dates of payment in accordance with the payment schedule. It can also be a foreign SEPA account. If you do not have a bank account, your earnings are paid into a Prepaid Card given by the Prison and Probation Service. The prison staff can help you open a bank account.

When you are released, the funds on the Prepaid Card given by the Prison and Probation Service will be transferred to the bank account you have told us so you need to have the bank account number at this point at the latest. In open prisons, the money and the Prepaid Card are in your possession.

Clothing

In an open prison, you can wear your own clothes. For work purposes, you should take clothes suitable for, among other things, working outside.

Obligation to participate in activities

You are obliged to participate in activities organised or approved by the prison that promote the implementation of the goals of the sentence plan.

Contacts with the outside world

You can find detailed instructions on the visiting possibilities, correspondence, postal items, telephone use, and prison leaves in the prison rules.

Order and security

A prisoner has to comply with the prison rules as well as the orders and instructions issued by the prison personnel. A prisoner has to behave in an appropriate manner towards the prison personnel and other prisoners.

A prisoner has the right to possess a reasonable number of private utility items, which do not cause harm to the cleanliness, order, or security of the prison. Absolutely forbidden are, for example, firearms and edged weapons, mobile phones, cameras, IT equipment, and medicines.

The premises used by prisoners and the property in their possession can be inspected as the need arises. The inspections of premises are in fact part of the normal prison routines. Narcotics detection dogs are often used in the inspections.

A prisoner can be subjected to a body search with the presence of a witness if it is necessary in order to prevent an escape or preserve the prison order or if the prisoner is suspected of possessing unlawful articles or substances. The prison director may also order a body cavity search to be conducted on a prisoner if he or she is with probable cause suspected of an offence for which the punishment is more than 6 months of imprisonment.

A disciplinary punishment can be imposed on a prisoner for a disciplinary infraction, a breach of permit conditions, or criminal activity. More severe offences are reported to the police.

A prisoner can be segregated from other prisoners if it is necessary in order to maintain safety or prevent criminal activity.

A prisoner cannot be restrained unless it is necessary to prevent an escape during transportation or to control violent behaviour causing danger or harm. The restraint may not continue longer than necessary.

Emergency trips outside of prison

If there is need for a trip outside of prison if an urgent situation arises (eg. funerals and critical illness of a next-of-kin) you must talk to the prison authorities. You may be granted permission for a short trip, but it is not an automatic right.

Preparation of release

The preparation for release is started well in advance of the release. In the case of prisoners, who are serving a short sentence, the preparation can be initiated fairly soon after the arrival in prison. The planning of the release of prisoners with long sentences begins approximately 6 months prior to the release. Supervised probationary freedom is part of a planned release process. The planning of probationary freedom is started a year before the release at the earliest if the assessment centre considers that the probationary freedom serves the prisoner’s adjustment to society and the prisoner can be assumed to follow the conditions of the probationary freedom.

The planning of the release is begins by evaluating the released prisoner’s preconditions for coping and need for services. The evaluation of the need for services covers the prisoner’s whole social situation. With the consent of the prisoner, the preparation of the release includes, where necessary, co-operation with the social, health, substance abuse, housing and employment authorities of the municipality of residence of the prisoner or the municipality where he or she is staying in order to arrange the required services. If the released prisoner is placed in supervision, the community sanctions office, which covers the region where the prisoner will be released, also participates in the preparation of the release plan.

Besides municipalities, support services for prisoners are also provided and developed by various organisations and other third sector operators, such as RETS – Life without crime and its online service Portti vapauteen (gate to freedom), support associations Vapautuvien Tuki and Silta as well as the KRIS Finland.

Should you solve the matter with the staff or file a complaint?

The primary duty of the Prison and Probation Service is to see that the penal sanctions passed by the courts are enforced lawfully and safely. Prisoners and community sanction clients must be treated with justice and respect for their human dignity.

If a client or a close person of the client considers that the client has been treated inappropriately or suspects that an authority or a public official has not complied with the law or fulfilled the obligations, the client can discuss the matter with the staff of the prison or the community sanctions office or file a complaint to an authority that oversees legality.

However, the aim should be to solve problems and conflict situations primarily by discussing the matter with the staff. It is usually the quickest way to solve it.

Authorities supervising the prisoners’ health care services

Patient Ombudsman:
Sari Koskue
c/o Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos
PL 30, 00271 Helsinki

Telephone: 029 524 5888
Email: potilasasiamies@vth.fi

Finnish Supervisory Agency (agency that supervises prisoners’ healthcare in Finland)
Postal address: Lupa- ja valvontavirasto, PL 20, LVV
Email: kirjaamo@lvv.fi

Return to the UK

Sometimes people find that they face difficulties adjusting to life in the UK once they have left prison. You may find yourself ready for life on the outside but not prepared for living in the UK. Possibly you have never lived in the UK and have no connections there, or perhaps you have lost touch with friends and family. You may simply want to talk to another person who understands what you have been through, to help you consider what to do next.

If you are registered with Prisoners Abroad you can visit Prisoners Abroad when you first arrive back in UK for advice, to take a shower, use their temporary luggage store, make essential phone calls or use a computer. If you have no belongings Prisoners Abroad may be able to help with basic toiletries and finding suitable clothing. If you know your release date in advance it is best to write and tell your caseworker when you are likely to arrive and what help you think you might need. If you have no money and nowhere to go, Prisoners Abroad’s Aftercare Service can help with:

• advice on finding emergency accommodation in the London area
• claiming welfare benefits, including emergency benefit payments if you are destitute
• making appointments with doctors and dentists
• putting you in touch with local agencies if you are not returning to the London area

Later on you may want advice on housing, looking for work, applying for training or getting counselling. Prisoners Abroad can refer you to the right agency.

Other sources of practical help back in the UK are The Salvation Army – UK Helpline 020 7367 4888, Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4 PM, or contact your local Salvation Army branch – and The Prison Fellowship, UK Helpline 020 7799 2500, Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM.

Deportation

Under the Aliens Act, a foreign national may be deported if they are found guilty of an offence carrying a maximum sentence of imprisonment for a year or more; or found guilty of repeated offences; or through their behaviour, shown that they presents a danger to other people’s safety; or there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they may engage in activities that endanger Finland’s national security.

If the MIGRI makes a decision to deport you, you will be taken to a detention centre immediately after your release. The immigration police arranges your flight back to your home country. This may take 7 to 10 days.

Is transfer to the UK a possibility?

Yes, but to transfer, you must:

• be a British citizen or have close family ties with the UK (normally through permanent residence in the UK)
• not be awaiting trial
• have exhausted all appeals against your conviction and/or the length of your sentence; or have waived your right to an appeal
• have at least 6 months of your sentence left to serve when you apply for transfer
• have no outstanding fines or other non-custodial penalties

The offence you were convicted for must also be a criminal offence in the part of the UK you wish to be transferred to: England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

The authorities in the sentencing country may refuse your request. You should be aware that even if the sentencing State agrees to your transfer then the UK authorities may also refuse your request. Reasons for this might include if you have not lived in the UK for a number of years and you have no close family residents there.

Transfer to another state  

Right to be in contact with a diplomatic mission

A foreign prisoner has the right to be in contact with a diplomatic or consular mission. The prison staff can help the prisoner to find the contact information of the closest mission. The prison staff has to forward prisoners’ consignments addressed to a mission without delay. Prisoners will be provided with interpretation assistance in prison, if possible.

General information about the transfer of imprisonment

Sentenced people may have a possibility to serve their prison sentence in their native country. The objective of the transfer of imprisonment to the home countries of the sentenced people is to promote their social adjustment. In a matter concerning the enforcement of a sentence imposed in a foreign country, it is no longer allowed to investigate whether the person is guilty of the offence for which the sentence has been imposed.

If a sentenced person wants to initiate the transfer of the prison sentence to his or her native country, the sentenced person can write a free-form letter to the Prison and Probation Service. The prison staff can send the letter on behalf of the prisoner. A competent authority of the native country of the sentenced person can also make a request to the Ministry of Justice of Finland or the International Enforcement Team at the Prison and Probation Service (kvtp.rise@om.fi) for the transfer of a prison sentence. Hence, the sentenced person can be in contact with the competent authority of his or her native country in order to initiate the procedure.

The transfer of a prison sentence imposed in Finland to another country can be initiated by the Prison and Probation Service. In that case, the sentenced person will be given an opportunity to express his or her opinion before making the decisions. The sentenced person usually has the right to appeal against a final transfer decision made in Finland to the Helsinki Administrative Court. It is possible to appeal against a decision made by the authorities of another country in accordance with the legislation of that country.

In a transfer matter, the sentenced person has the right to a legal counsel or a defence counsel paid from State funds. If the prisoner does not have a legal counsel, the prison staff will help the prisoner find a legal counsel/defence counsel. In Finland, the Ministry of Justice or the Prison and Probation Service decides on a defence counsel paid from State funds at the request of the sentenced person.

The actual procedures linked to the enforcement of a prison sentence, such as release from prison, are always governed by the law of the State where the enforcement takes place.

To find out more about transfers to a UK prison

Would I have a criminal record in the UK?

We will not normally pass on information about your case to a third party without your consent. However, if you’re arrested for certain serious offences, such as child sex abuse or drugs crimes, our staff must tell other relevant UK authorities. It is therefore possible that information about this may appear if a Criminal Records Bureau check were carried out by a prospective employer.

Chapter 4: Additional Information

Additional Information

Prisoners Abroad

Since 1978 the charity Prisoners Abroad has offered practical support and advice to British citizens imprisoned overseas. It is the only UK charity providing this service and it is available to all, whether guilty or innocent, convicted or awaiting charge or trial. Prisoners Abroad is concerned with your health and welfare, both during your imprisonment and also on your return to the UK, through their resettlement service (if you have registered whilst in prison). They can also provide support and advice to your family during your imprisonment. In order to access any services, prisoners must first register with Prisoners Abroad by signing and returning their authorisation form.

Once you seek help from Prisoners Abroad, the Prisoner & Family Support Service will be your point of contact for advice and information. The type of assistance they can offer will vary from country to country, but generally they can provide you with information, in English, on:

• your rights as a prisoner and issues that may affect you such as health or transfer to the UK
• obtaining magazines, newspapers, books and the regular Prisoners Abroad newsletter
• learning the language of your country of imprisonment
• translation of documents
• grants for food if you are in a developing country and don’t have funds from other sources
• grants for essential medicines and toiletries if you don’t have funds from other sources
• preparing for release
• help for your loved ones, including information, family support groups and, in a few cases, assistance with the cost of visiting

Prisoners Abroad
89 – 93 Fonthill Road
London N4 3JH
UK

Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7561 6820
or, for your relatives in the UK, Freephone: 0808 172 0098

(Mondays and Tuesdays 9.30 am to 6pm, and Wednesdays to Fridays 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, UK time)
Email: info@prisonersabroad.org.uk Website: www.prisonersabroad.org.uk

Glossary of terms

Useful legal terms – English into Finnish

Administrative court of appeal	Hallinto-oikeus
Appeal, complaint	Valitus
Arrested	Pidätetty
Bail	(does not apply in Finland)
Become final, gain legal effect	Tulla lainvoimaiseksi
Breach, violation of law	Lainvastainen
Care	Hoito, huolto
Case	Asia, juttu
Charge, prosecution	Syyte
Come into force, take effect	Astuu voimaan
Conviction	Tuomio
Court	Oikeus, Tuomioistuin
Court of appeal	Hovioikeus
Courtroom	Oikeussali
Crime, offence	Rikos
Custody	Pidättäminen
Defence	Puolustus
Defendant	Vastaaja
Deport	Karkotus
Detained/remanded	Vangittu
District Court	Käräjäoikeus
Not guilty	Syytön
Guilty	Syyllinen
Hearing, trial	Oikeudenkäynti
Injured person/party	Kantaja, asianosainen
Interpreter	Tulkki
Judge	Tuomari
Lawyer	Lakimies
Minor offence	Lievä rikkomus
Offender, perpetrator	Rikoksentekijä
Official	Virkamies
Parole / conditional discharge	Ehdonalainen
Pay a fine	Sakko, sakkorangaistus
Plead guilty / confess	Tunnustaa
Police interrogation	Poliisin kuulustelu
Police investigation	Poliisin tutkinta
Prison	Vankila
Prosecutor	Syyttäjä
Released	Vapautettu
Remand	Tutkintavankeus
Sentence	Rangaistus
Serious crime	Vakava rikos
Summons, subpoena	Haaste
Suspect	Epäilty
Suspended sentence	Ehdollinen rangaistus
Witness	Todistaja

Key phrases – English into Finnish

Hello	Hei
Good morning	Hyvää huomenta
Good afternoon	Hyvää päivää
Goodbye	Näkemiin / Hei hei
Yes	Kyllä
No	Ei
Thank you	Kiitos
I’m sorry	Anteeksi
Do you speak English?	Puhutteko englantia?
I don’t speak Finnish.	En puhu suomea.
My name is…	Nimeni on….
I don’t know	En tiedä
I don’t understand	En ymmärrä
I’m thirsty	Minulla on jano
Water	Vesi
I’m sick/unwell	Olen sairas
Doctor	Lääkäri
Where is…?	Missä on…?