Indonesian Man Detained in Absentia Over Suspected Treason Linked to Olkiluoto Nuclear Plant
The Helsinki District Court has detained a man in his fifties in absentia on suspicion of disclosing a security secret, an act classified as treason. The detention, requested by the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP), was issued on Monday. The suspect, an Indonesian national, is believed to have committed the offense in August 2021 in Eurajoki, though the KRP has not confirmed the exact details of the case.
Yle reports that the investigation is connected to the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant, though Detective Chief Inspector Juha-Pekka Karkkola, who leads the investigation, has not verified this information. Karkkola confirmed the suspect’s nationality and stated that the investigation has been ongoing since the end of last year. He declined to comment on the likelihood of bringing the suspect to Finland to face charges.
Nature of the Crime
Disclosing a security secret involves unlawfully obtaining, publishing, or transmitting information classified as secret for Finland’s external security. Under the Criminal Code, such an act can result in a prison sentence of at least four months and up to four years. The information in question must be of a nature that could cause serious harm to Finland’s defense, security, foreign relations, or national economy (Ilta-Sanomat).
According to Yle, the suspect has no prior criminal record in Finland over the past decade. Karkkola stated that there are no other suspects in the case at this stage.
Recent Cases of Security Secret Disclosures
Finland has seen several cases involving the disclosure of security secrets in recent years. In June, Yle reported that a military lawyer working for the Finnish Defence Forces was charged with a similar offense. Additionally, in 2023, the Helsinki Court of Appeal convicted two Helsingin Sanomat journalists for revealing security secrets in an article about the Viestikoekeskus (Signals Test Center) (Ilta-Sanomat).
