Burak Bir
01 July 2025•Update: 01 July 2025
LONDON
The Helsinki Court of Appeal has convicted two Finnish journalists of treason, according to media reports on Tuesday.
Tuomo Pietilainen and Laura Halminen, reporters for Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s largest newspaper, were found guilty of unlawfully publishing and attempting to publish military intelligence, broadcaster YLE reported.
The court gave Pietilainen a four-month suspended prison sentence, while Halminen was sentenced to an 80-day income-linked fine.
The court dismissed charges against their supervisor, Kalle Silfverberg.
The case stems from a 2017 article on the Finnish Intelligence Research Center, along with follow-up stories, some of which were never published.
The court ruled that the published content and the intended follow-ups contained classified material that posed national security risks and did not sufficiently contribute to public debate.
It also found that journalists may be held personally liable for disclosing national security secrets, even when publication decisions are made at the editorial level.
At the time of publication, the newspaper defended the article, arguing that residents and even politicians knew little about the center, which was being granted broader operational powers.
“The most important task of the media is to monitor and control the activities of the authorities,” wrote editor Esa Makinen.
“If you want to say more than the official data, you have to rely on classified information.”
Pietilainen’s lawyer said they may appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
