News / 09.05.2016

UJF is helping members report defamation by MV magazine to police

The police in Finland are working with prosecutors to investigate the online “alternative news” site, which has been repeatedly linked to hate speech and the defamation of individual journalists.

The police have called on people who may have been the victim of MV magazine’s potentially criminal antics. The police have received dozens of complaints about the MV website involving cases of libel, copyright violation, aggravated defamation and financial offenses.

Journalists have been targets of MV magazine’s activities, including having their material used without permission and details of their private lives published on the website. The police have pointed out that hate speech is a crime, and can take the form of abuse on the basis of ethnicity or making false or slanderous statements about an individual.

The UJF calls on its members who suspect that they may have been victims of criminal behaviour by MV magazine to report such matters to the police. The Union is ready to advise and assist with this.

Members wanting to report suspected crimes to the police should contact the UJF’s legal call service on 044 7555 000 (weekdays 13:00 – 16:00), email: lakimies(at)journalistiliitto.fi or to contact the union lawyer Jussi Salokangas (check union contact details).


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