Pass out flyers protesting against the sale of fur, get the Finnish police to raid your house and confiscate your valuables. Fortunately, nine years later the European Court of Human Rights declares it a violation of freedom of speech…

Finland violated animal rights activists’ freedom of speech when flyers and other material were confiscated in conjunction with house searches conducted in 1996. This was the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in two cases brought to its attention.

Both Chamber judgements relate to a 1995 demonstration against Helsinki department store Stockmann for selling fur. Posters criticising Stockmann for its fur trade were circulated in the Finnish capital. The incident led to a criminal investigation, during which the police carried out house searches. Diaries, posters, and flyers were confiscated at that time.

The police agreed to return only some of the material to the activists. Aided by a court ruling, the police were able to prolong the time of confiscation for the rest of the material. Both of the cases handled were similar in nature. The police were accused of confiscating material not directly related to the reported crime suspicion.