Mikko Ellilä’s blog under investigation for incitement against a national or religious group
Fellow blogger and Finland for Thought semi-regular, Mikko Ellilä, is under investigation from the Finnish police for incitement against a national or religious group in his blog. Supposedly he’s been critical of immigration in Finland and Islam. This is from Gates of Vienna… (and more info here also from Gates of Vienna)
One of the foremost Finnish immigration and islam critical bloggers Mikko Ellilä is facing a police investigation concerning his blog posts. Mikko posts in Finnish in his blog.
Mikko is due to have a hearing in the local Police department and I believe he is about to face an investigation for incitement against a group of people (hets mot folkgrupp). So far, no charges have been pressed.
Hat tip to Kenneth of Tundra Tabloids for informing me of Mikko’s situation. Ken says…
The Chapter 11, section 8 of the Finnish penal code was recently used for the first time –successfully– in an incitement case which found two newspapers guilty of publishing an anti-Semitic op-ed. Both newspapers and the individual who wrote the racist op-ed were fined accordingly, to the tune of about 1500 Euros.
It’s still unclear at this point just what the supposedly offending material might be, but as in all cases where an allegation is is made, the Finnish police are bound to see it through, regardless of how ridiculous the charges might be.
Mikko sometimes comments here on Finland for Thought, often on posts involving immigration. He considers himself a liberal, and I believe he is (was?) quite active in the Finnish Liberal Party. I’ve always wondered how a self-proclaimed “liberal” could be so against immigration, traditionally liberals are very pro-immigration. But certainly liberalism isn’t a one-size-fits-all ideology – and he should have every legal right to criticize religion and immigration, even if people like me don’t agree with him on these subjects.
I’ve met Mikko before in person and debated him quite a bit online (I don’t read his blog though), he always has very strong opinions and strong tone of voice and isn’t afraid to share his opinion, even if everyone disagrees. I don’t know what he said that pissed the Finnish authorities off so much, but as a strong believer in freedom of speech, I seriously doubt it was criminal. I’m just waiting for the day when criticizing the welfare state ideology becomes a crime, cause I reckon that day is coming soon.




