Prosecutor declines investigation into MP’s inflammatory remarks

Finland’s Prosecutor General has decided not to order a police investigation into inflammatory remarks made by Finns Party MP Teemu Keskisarja about immigrants during a television appearance in August 2025, Yle reports.

Prosecutor General Ari-Pekka Koivisto stated that an investigation was unnecessary as he would likely not press charges. Koivisto’s decision follows multiple criminal complaints filed over Keskisarja’s comments, which included calling immigrants “mostly low-quality newcomers” and claiming that for every foreign surgeon entering Finland, 100 “stabbers” arrive to “create jobs for them.”

Tatu Hyttinen, associate professor of criminal law at the University of Turku, described the decision as justified given the heightened free speech protections afforded to MPs in political debate. However, Hyttinen noted that the same remarks by an ordinary citizen—particularly on social media—could have triggered a criminal investigation.

“Criminal liability may apply differently to an ordinary citizen than to a member of parliament,” Hyttinen said, emphasizing that Keskisarja’s speech, while offensive and possibly defamatory, was neither threatening nor inciting hatred.

A dissenting opinion came from special prosecutor Kirsta Mannerhovi, who argued the remarks met the criteria for ethnic agitation under Finnish law. Hyttinen suggested such borderline cases would benefit from judicial review to clarify tensions between political free speech and hate speech legislation.

Police initially dropped the case in September 2025 after a change in lead investigator, but the Prosecutor General reconsidered following a request from the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman.