Finland

Current situation & recent developments

Feedback from organisations

As reported by EBCO’s Finnish member, AKL (Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto - the Finnish Association of Conscientious Objectors)^[1]:

In 2023, there were 1,954 applications to perform non-military service, which is similar to that in most recent years, but a considerable decrease on the record 2,418 applications in 2022. There were 30 prosecutions because of refusal to perform non-military service in 2022 (total objectors). These normally resulted in a sentence of imprisonment (which could take the form of house arrest monitored by an electronic bracelet. In 2023 EBCO wrote letters in support of Mitja Jakonen, an active member of AKL, who faced such a prosecution,^[2] and subsequently, when he was sentenced to 98 days house arrest, organised demonstrations in support of him.^[3] The number of prosecutions for refusing military service (another way to total objection) is currently unknown.^[4]

In addition to non-military service and total objection, during 2023 1,651 reservists declared conscientious objection by sending an application to perform a five-day supplementary service under the command of the Non-military Service Centre. This was the second highest number of applications in history, following the 3,815 applications the previous year. In February 2024, the Finnish defence minister Antti Häkkänen told the public about his intention to find a legal way to stop the reservist objection possibility – thereby launching a new flood of applications to perform supplementary service.^[5] Currently it is unclear whether Häkkänen’s idea will proceed to a concrete legislative proposal.

UN Human Rights Council: As reported in the 2022/3 Report, the issue of conscientious objection came up in the Universal Periodic Review of Finland, with no fewer than five States making recommendations.

In the Human Rights Council session in March 2023 where the report on the review was adopted, Jyry Virtanen of AKL was able to take the floor in the name of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, and encouraged the government to comply with international standards.^[6] In the debate, Finland stated that the recommendation to inform the public about the right to refuse military service and extend this possibility to alternative military service would be considered in connection with a possible call-up reform. We will be watching future developments with concern.

After the 2023 parliamentary election in Finland 2023, In the programme^[7] published by the new government coalition following the 2023 election, led by prime minister Petteri Orpo , there is no reference to the problems that the United Nations human rights bodies have found in treatment of Finnish conscientious objectors. Instead, it outlines plans to develop the conscription system and extend call-ups to the entire age group, “in line with the report of the parliamentary working group”. In addition, “The Government will utilise the report of the parliamentary working group to develop non-military service and link it more clearly to the comprehensive security model.”

The report of the parliamentary working group referred to had been published on 26th November 2021.^[8] The Committee’s proposals, some of which might have deleterious effects for conscientious objectors if implemented, include:

• to reshape the non-military service’s training period with preparedness and disruption controlling contents;
• to primarily have service positions which are liable for preparedness and are essential in comprehensive security;
• to serve in assisting comprehensive security tasks that support anticipation and preparedness; - to enable non-military servicemen’s mutual administrative support;
• to enable the usage of the reserve of non-military servicemen also during times of crises other than of a military nature;
• to launch complementary training for non-military servicemen to use in different readiness states and
• to reject recognition of already performed service days when applying to transfer to non-military service from military service.