government of finland human rights report

Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. In addition police must inquire about a partys willingness to participate in reconciliation, which is usually engaged in before the case proceeds to the prosecutor. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt and have the right of appeal. Text messages revealed discussion of an upcoming civil war, with language particularly targeting the countrys Muslim, Somali, and Romani populations. Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit participation of women and members of minorities in the political process, and they did participate. On January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the neo-Nazi group Towards Freedom! Major consumer brands continued to boycott the Karkkainen chain of department stores due to anti-Semitic public statements by the companys owner, Juha Karkkainen. Asylum seekers who do not have valid travel documents must wait six months after they have submitted their asylum application before they can begin working. The prime minister heads a five-party coalition government approved by parliament and appointed by the president in December 2019. In addition, New Zealand has also ratified numerous international United Nations treaties. The government effectively enforced the law. The law prohibits all forms of forced or compulsory labor. According to civil society organizations, asylum seekers continued to lack adequate access to legal assistance during the initial stages of the asylum application process and during subsequent appeals. The nondiscrimination ombudsman also operated as an independent government-oversight body that investigates discrimination complaints and promotes equal treatment within the government. FINLAND Finland is a constitutional republic with an elected head of state (president), parliament, and head of government (prime minister), and with an independent judiciary. Conviction carries a penalty of up to six months imprisonment and a monetary fine. A report from the equality ombudsmans office published in June detailed a case where a painters fixed-term contract had been extended continuously until she revealed her pregnancy to her employer. The Ministry of Interior noted that only two police officers in the country were able to communicate in sign language and that access to services for persons with disabilities continued to be a problem. Kataja said he prevented Torssonen from running as a Finns Party parliamentary candidate in 2019 and in May expelled him from the party because of his extremism. 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Finland, An official website of the United States Government, https://www.state.gov/reports/just-act-report-to-congress/, https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html, https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. The U.S. Department of State submits reports on all countries receiving assistance and all United Nations member states to the U.S. Congress in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974. Sami objected to plans to develop an Arctic railway running from Helsinki to the northern border, citing the railways potential impact on natural resources critical for their livelihoods, including reindeer-herding land and Arctic nature tourism. The most recent Government of Finland Human Rights Report published in 2014 served as the point of comparison to the report Finland in the International Human Rights System. The prime minister heads a five-party coalition government approved by parliament and appointed by the president in December 2019. The law provides for a detainees prompt access to a lawyer. RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From: a. Parliament sets an annual quota for refugee admissions, and the government decides its allocation. The government provided funding for the security of the Helsinki synagogue, but the Central Council of Finnish Jewish Communities reported that funding had recently been cut in half. There were isolated reports of government corruption during the year. The Republic of Finland is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral parliament (Eduskunta). The constitution and law prohibit such actions. The constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality. Human rights problems included violence against women, trafficking in persons, and societal discrimination against foreign-born residents and Roma. Finland defends the universal and legally binding nature of human rights and promotes fundamental and human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Financial Disclosure: By law, appointed and elected officials must each year declare their income, assets, and other private interests that could overlap with their official duties. During the past five . A local registration office records all births immediately. The number of Russian-origin members of Jehovahs Witnesses applying for asylum based on alleged religious persecution declined significantly. The ombudsman for gender equality stated that Sami victims of domestic violence were at a disadvantage in accessing public shelters due to the long distances between population centers in the northern part of the country. Before trial most defendants awaiting trial are eligible for conditional release on personal recognizance. The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and other persons of concern. Physical Conditions: There were no major concerns in prisons and detention centers regarding physical conditions or inmate abuse. The law limits a worker to 250 hours of overtime per year and 138 overtime hours in any four-month period. The statement confirmed the key finding of a 2018 study that found police officers, security guards, border agents, and customs officers targeted minorities due to their ethnic background or skin color. The parliamentary ombudsmans annual report published in June saw an increase in complaints (from 281 in 2019 to 306 in 2020) regarding the rights of persons with disabilities. Freedom of Expression for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media: The distribution of hate material intended to incite discrimination against any national, racial, religious, or ethnic group in print or broadcast media, books, or online newspapers or journals is a crime. There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees. From January to May, the government also offered protection to 209 individuals based on other grounds, including medical and compassionate grounds. Press and Media Freedom: The distribution of hate material intended to incite discrimination against any national, racial, religious, or ethnic group in print or broadcast media, books, or online newspapers or journals is a crime. Kataja was attacked at his home in July 2020 and suffered a fractured skull, cerebral hemorrhage, and broken ribs and fingers. Roma continued to face discrimination in all social sectors and were often targeted by law enforcement and security officials. The government took steps to prosecute officials who committed human rights abuses. The Republic of Finland is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral parliament (Eduskunta). The Finnish Intelligence Service highlighted that racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism in online platforms was a significant source of radicalization in the country. There were no reports of children engaged in work outside the parameters established by law. The government reports Finland did not confiscate property belonging to Jews during the Holocaust era, that Holocaust-era restitution has not been an issue, and that no litigation or restitution claims were pending before authorities regarding real or immovable property covered by the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues, which the government endorsed. Employers who violate the rights of employees to organize and retain employee representatives may face administrative measures, legal proceedings, and fines. Participation of Women and Minorities: No laws limit participation of women and members of minorities in the political process, and they did participate. Between March 28 and April 15, the government closed the borders of the Uusimaa region and blocked exit and entry with police officers. Join us and make a difference. The centers functions include promoting the implementation of human rights, reporting on the implementation of human rights obligations, and cooperating with European and international bodies on human rights matters. The law requires employees to report any hazards or risks they discover in working conditions, including in machinery, equipment, or work methods. Temporary Protection: From January to August, the government provided temporary protection to 289 individuals who did not qualify as refugees but who were deemed to qualify for subsidiary protection. A survey of shelter services published by the THL during the year found a decrease in the number of shelter clients since 2019. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. A child can also acquire citizenship at birth if the child is born in the country and meets certain other criteria, such as if the parents have refugee status in the country or if the child is not eligible for any other countrys citizenship. In primary schools there were fewer opportunities for children with disabilities to attend classes or participate in organized hobby groups with peers. Because the law does not include a provision regarding a five-day workweek, regular work hours may, at least in principle, span six days. Of the 180 reports that resulted in further inspection, 9 percent concerned ethnicity, nationality, language, or religion, a number similar to previous years, 9 percent concerned age discrimination, and 4 percent concerned disability. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over security forces. The parliamentary Constitutional Law Committee analyzes proposed legislation for consistency with international human rights conventions. Public displays of the NRMs symbol decreased in frequency, although members continued to spray graffiti. Employees prohibited from striking may use arbitration to provide for due process in the resolution of their concerns. Workers without permanent residence may not be eligible to join voluntary unemployment insurance funds. The standard workweek established by law is no more than 40 hours of work per week with eight hours work per day. 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Finland FINLAND 6 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018 United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor The constitution and law provide for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media, b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association, d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country, e. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons, Section 3. After they exhaust all avenues of appeal in national courts, persons and organizations may appeal court decisions involving alleged violations of the European Convention on Human Rights to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of intimate-partner violence reported to police increased by 6 percent, and utilization of the online services of the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters grew by 11 percent over the same period. Defendants have a right to be present at their trial and to consult an attorney of their choice in a timely manner before trial. While there were no known claims for movable Judaica or Jewish cultural property confiscated during the Holocaust era, journalists and representatives of the Finnish Jewish community stated they have no information as to the current whereabouts of movable property of the Central European Jews whom Finnish security services deported. The Finnish branch of Amnesty International stated that 550 places were needed to support the number of victims properly and that some rural areas had very few shelters and insufficient space in those shelters. Administration: Authorities conducted investigations of credible allegations of mistreatment. The constitution and law prohibit such practices, and there were no reports that government officials employed them. The most recent Government of Finland Human Rights Report published in 2014 served as the point of comparison to the report Finland in the International Human Rights System. The Faculty of Theology acknowledged and apologized for the incident on Twitter, and the dean of the faculty said an internal investigation was underway. E2 Research will carry out a review of the current situation and future plans of Ukrainians in Finland. Representatives of the Jewish community reported that, despite available video and photographic evidence of the perpetrators, police made no arrests in the incidents. Sexual Exploitation of Children: The country prohibits the commercial sexual exploitation of children, including child pornography and the sale, offering, or procuring of children for commercial sex. The public broadcaster Yle reported in July that the Helsinki Police Department fired two officers, including the chief of staff, for engaging in racist communications with far-right hate groups. Office of the U.S. The prosecutor general is responsible for investigating sexual harassment complaints. 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