Interior Ministry dropping proposal to allow testimony from anonymous witnesses

Rajamäki also wants to fine-tune proposal to allow undercover police to commit crimes

Kari Rajamäki

Johannes Koskinen

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The Minister of the Interior, Kari Rajamäki (SDP), has decided to drop a controversial provision from proposed new police legislation that would allow undercover police informants to testify anonymously at criminal trials.
      However, the proposal is not being completely buried. Rajamäki and Minister of Justice Johannes Koskinen (SDP) have agreed to set up a working group of their two ministries to draw up a new proposal on regulations that would govern anonymous testimony.
     
A working group comprising civil servants in the Finnish police administration recently proposed that police making false purchases of illegal drugs, or otherwise posing as criminals in undercover operations, should be allowed to testify anonymously at a resulting trial. The measure was seen as necessary for the safety of the police officers themselves and their families.
      The proposal was sharply criticised by the Deputy Chancellor of Justice, the Finnish Bar Association, and officials at the Ministry of Justice.
      The emphasis in the reactions was that such a massive change in trial procedure cannot be implemented simply by altering rules on secrecy in police legislation.
     
The possibility of anonymous testimony has also been discussed at the Ministry of Justice. A ministry working group, which also contained a representative of the police, decided that there was no need to take such drastic action to protect witnesses.
      Rajamäki disagrees. He feels that the possibility for anonymous testimony is important, and hopes that the proposal can be passed into law soon. He nevertheless decided to take the proposal away from the police law bill, because it might have delayed passage of the whole package.
      Rajamäki wants the proposed reforms to come before Parliament in the early autumn.
     
Rajamäki also wants to fine-tune a proposal in the bill that would allow undercover police to take part in the commission of crimes. This has been seen as a necessary measure to help undercover officers protect their identity.
      "I have considered this to be problematic. I cannot accept that officials under any circumstances would take part in, for instance, the transport of a drug that might endanger the life of a young person."
      "I have asked the civil servants to assess how the measure could be limited, in the investigation of serious crimes, to situations in which it is necessary and defensible, or to situations in which the safety of the undercover officer is in serious danger."
      Rajamäki also hopes that an extension of the right to eavesdrop on telecommunications should be implemented without delay.
      Under the proposal, police would have the right to tap phones even if the person in question is not suspected of having committed any crime - if there is reason to believe that the person is planning to commit an act of terrorism.
      This would mean that tipoffs from foreign intelligence sources, for instance, would make it possible to authorise a wiretap.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Proposal to allow undercover police to participate in criminal activities (21.4.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat