Former Seiska editor and editor-in-chief suspected of crimes against Yle’s editor-in-chief

Helsinki police have completed a preliminary investigation into a series of articles published by Seiska magazine in September 2024, Yle reports.

The articles focused on the private life of Riikka Räisänen, then Yle’s news and current affairs editor-in-chief and now head of its local news section. Police suspect a former Seiska reporter of violating privacy and defamation, while editor-in-chief Jyrki Huotari is suspected of defamation and editorial negligence. A third individual is also suspected of violating privacy.

The alleged offences also targeted Räisänen’s boyfriend.

Editorial negligence applies when a senior editor fails to properly supervise and manage editorial work, contributing to the commission of an offence through publication. The charge carries a fine.

Police were unable to reach Huotari for comment on Thursday afternoon.

The case now moves to prosecution consideration.

A separate preliminary investigation was previously completed involving a private individual suspected of violating communication secrecy, defamation, and harassment in connection with the same series of articles.

Multiple complaints about the articles were filed with the Council for Mass Media (JSN), which declined to process them after criminal investigations began. JSN chair Eero Hyvönen noted at the time that Seiska’s coverage of Räisänen was exceptional in Finland and questioned whether there were sufficient public interest grounds for reporting on private matters. The JSN oversees ethical compliance in Finnish media according to the Guidelines for Journalists.