Finns Party MP’s spouse suspected of defaming local newspaper editor-in-chief
Eastern Finland Police have initiated a preliminary investigation into suspected defamation against the editor-in-chief of a local newspaper, following a complaint filed in May. The case involves Ari Reijonen, the spouse of Finns Party Member of Parliament Minna Reijonen, who is accused of making defamatory comments on Facebook.
According to Savon Sanomat, Ari Reijonen referred to the editor-in-chief as a "serial strangler" and a "merry widow" in a post criticizing a news story about his wife. The editor-in-chief’s spouse and child died in an accident over a decade ago when a tractor sank through the ice, a tragedy Reijonen referenced in his remarks. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the editor-in-chief described the comments as a "very cruel" personal attack, particularly given the circumstances of the family’s loss.
The local newspaper had republished a profile of Minna Reijonen originally published by Savon Sanomat and Karjalainen. The editor-in-chief was not involved in the creation of the article, a point confirmed by the editor-in-chief of Savon Sanomat (Yle).
Ari Reijonen later deleted his comment and issued an apology on Facebook. Minna Reijonen also expressed regret over her husband’s remarks, stating: "I deeply apologize for my spouse’s completely inappropriate social media commentary and the great distress it caused. He has deleted his comments and apologized." Her original post is no longer publicly visible (Ilta-Sanomat).
The preliminary investigation is in its early stages, with police yet to begin formal proceedings (Yle).
