Finland Times

 

File picture of the NBI criminal suspect list where the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin was included. Photo Lehtikuva.

The Helsinki District Court dismissed charges of negligent violation of official duty in a case involving the police’s suspect registry (EPRI). 

 

Three persons were charged at the District Court of Helsinki in relation to the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) criminal suspect list which had erroneously included the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

According to the court, in EPRI’s entire period of existence, no judicial reviews were made to check its information content. 

 

The court took into account that the police board’s instructions for the supervision of the registry may have been unclear.

 

“From our review of the legality in force, the regulations and guidelines have been and are very vague and ambiguous. On this ground alone, it should be noted that this case is concerned with the principle of legality in terms of very problematic vague criminal provisions,” the court observed. 

 

According to the principle of legality, no one can be sentenced or punished for an act which is not punishable at the time of the act.

 

The court did not take a stand on markings, like so-called Putin marking, and their claimed illegality.

 

The register recorded Russian President Vladimir Putin as he appeared in a picture with members of the Russian motorcycle gang Night Wolves.

 

In April 2013, the Finnish commercial TV channel MTV3 disclosed that the name of Russian president was on a criminal suspect registry of NBI.

 

The leak caused huge embarrassment for the Finnish government and the NBI. Both made apologies to Putin subsequently over the issue in April 2014.