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).


See also

All news

UJF makes donation to improve safety of Gaza journalists

The UJF has decided to donate €5,000 to help ensure the safety of journalists in Gaza.

UJF Council discusses journalists’ safety, coping at work and the need for state media support

Crimes committed against journalists because of their work are a threat to democracy and the public’s right to know. That is why they should be called ‘democracy crimes’, UJF President Marjaana Varmavuori said in her review of current issues facing the journalists and media workers at the spring meeting of the UJF Council, held in […]

UJF Statement: The killing of journalists in Gaza must stop

International humanitarian law guarantees journalists the same protection as other civilians. Targeted attacks on and the murder of journalists are war crimes. They are also always an attack on democracy and people’s right to information. Our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza are amongst the bravest journalists of our time, and they are being killed at a […]