On Tuesday, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) released its fifth report on Finland. On the one hand, the Foreign Ministry announcement acknowledges the many actions taken or ongoing. On the other hand, however, there are also 20 recommendations on measures to combat racism and intolerance.

ECRI recommends, for example, the establishment of a body independent of the police and prosecutors. It would investigate alleged cases of racial discrimination and police abuse. Police diversity should also be increased to better reflect the diversity of the population, according to ECRI.

The Commission Against Racism and Intolerance also recommends the establishment of a comprehensive data collection system for hate speech and hate crime in Finland, which will provide a “coherent and consistent picture of racist and gay/transphobic hate speech and hate crime cases, information on judicial follow-up and results’.

In addition, a “comprehensive strategy to tackle racist and homophobic hate speech” should be developed. A task force consisting of the relevant authorities and equality bodies, non-governmental organizations and, where possible, media representatives will be proposed. With regard to hate speech and hate crime, training for law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should be expanded and the investigation of these alleged crimes strengthened.

ECRI also recommends that “the authorities encourage public figures, and in particular politicians, to react swiftly and not only to condemn all forms of racist and gay/transphobic speech, but also to seek to reinforce the values ​​that such speech threatens.”

In addition, the Commission recommends that, inter alia, the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities be amended to include the right to investigate individual cases of alleged discrimination at work and to take legal action on his own initiative. The Ombudsman should also open local and regional offices, which should be adequately resourced. It is also recommended, for example, to increase the resources of the Ombudsman for Equality.

ECRI’s report in its entirety can be found behind this link .

ECRI is an independent body set up by the Council of Europe to monitor the human rights situation and racism. The members of the Commission are, according to ECRI, independent and impartial persons appointed to the post on the basis of their moral authority. They are said to be recognized experts on racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance.