Finland Times

 

SDP lawmaker Nasima Razmyar. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

A number of politicians including some lawmakers on Wednesday cancelled their appearance on a television talk show protesting the possible presence of a leader of an extremist right wing organisation in the same programme.

 

The YLE A2 talk show was slated for Wednesday evening to which the political leaders were invited. But the leaders shunned the programme as the chairman of the Finnish Defence League, an extremist right wing organisation, was also invited there.

 

The chair of the opposition Vihreä liitto (Green League) parliamentary group,  Outi Alanko-Kahiluoto and lawmakers Ozan Yanar and Jani Toivola, main opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) lawmakers Nasima Razmyar and former Green League lawmaker  Oras Tynkkynen were among those who boycotted the programme.

 

Razmyar took to the social media site Facebook to announce her decision.

 

The lack of security and immigration were to be the main topics during the programme. Razmyar wrote in the Facebook post that racist or discriminatory ideologies or movements cannot have an equal footing with other debaters. 

 

Green League lawmaker Jani Toivola. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

Razmyar added that she was happy to discuss the immigration and issues related to immigrants.

 

“It is not really possible, though, with those who deny by their very nature, the dignity of an [entire] religious group. It is not possible to attend this broadcast, which clearly does not seek an effective and sensible debate, but rather wishes to raise rating through confrontation among its guests,” Razmyar wrote.

 

The chairperson of the Finnish Somalia Network, Saido Mohamed has also announced via Facebook that she had cancelled her appearance on the show.