Finland will introduce changes to its terrorism legislation at the beginning of June, expanding criminal liability and increasing penalties for several terrorism-related crimes.
The reform forms part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government programme.
The Ministry of Justice said the changes aim to strengthen Finland’s ability to prevent and prosecute terrorism offences and make the legal framework clearer.
Under the new rules, it will become a crime for a person to stay in a foreign country where they are neither a citizen nor a permanent resident for the purpose of carrying out a terrorist act.
The legislation also expands the list of crimes that can qualify as terrorist offences when committed with a terrorist purpose. These include aggravated deprivation of liberty, aggravated rape, aggravated robbery and aggravated child rape.
Preparatory acts will also face wider criminal liability. The revised law makes it punishable to possess or handle objects or substances that could be used in a terrorist offence and create serious danger to life or health.
The reform also criminalises travel to another country to facilitate terrorist travel by someone else, as well as attempts to provide terrorist training.
A wider range of actions that support or enable terrorist crimes can also lead to prosecution.
Courts will be able to impose harsher sentences for preparing a terrorist offence, receiving terrorist training, travelling for terrorism-related purposes and facilitating such travel.
HT