Life prisoner Nikita Fouganthine to be paroled in near future

Triple murderer's impending release prompts conflicting reactions in Sweden

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After 19 years in prison, Finland’s longest-serving life prisoner, triple murderer Nikita Joakim Fouganthine, 42, has been granted parole, starting from July 1st 2008.
      In practice, Fouganthine will be out of prison already in February-March next year, because he will have to serve a probationary period before full parole is granted.
      Currently Nikita Fouganthine, formerly known as Juha Valjakkala, is serving a life sentence in Kuopio prison, after killing a family of three in Åmsele, Sweden, in 1988.
     
The Helsinki Court of Appeal made an unanimous decision to accept Fouganthine’s application on Monday. The granted parole is subject to a three-year probationary period.
      The Criminal Sanctions Agency does not intend to seek leave to appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court.
      "Fouganthine has been in the prison for such a long time that he can be released. Both the Supreme Court and the Criminal Sanctions Agency have given a favourable opinion on his application", said Paula Grönlund, the Agency’s Head of Information.
     
The practice of supervised probation was adopted in Finland some twelve months ago, in order that the prisoners would adjust to life outside prison better than previously.
      The first two life prisoners were granted supervised probation just a month ago, which means that there is really not much experience of the practice for life prisoners.
      "A prisoner has to meet really stringent preconditions before he or she can be granted supervised probation. Most of them are not eligible for parole as the conditional release is subject to complete abstinence from intoxicants", Grönlund reports.
      Grönlund notes further that Fouganthine is an exceptional parolee and the preconditions for his probation period are tighter than normal.
     
Fouganthine, like all parolees, will be strictly monitored for example by GPS localisation using a mobile phone. Under his probationary period, Fouganthine will be supervised by Kuopio Prison.
      In addition, all parolees have to take part in some kind of activities, such as rehabilitation, work, or studying, according to a prearranged plan.
      A parolee’s movements can also be limited for example by ordering him or her to stay within the confines of certain municipalities.
      The Suprime Court may cancel Fouganthine’s parole if he commits a new crime during the supervised probation period.
     
The news of Fouganthine’s impending release has come as a shock to some people in Sweden, while others understand that he will have served a very long sentence prior to his release.
      Sweden’s Minister of Justice Beatrice Ask did not comment on the matter officially on Monday. Nevertheless, she has previously been vehemently opposed to Fouganthine’s parole. Fouganthine a.k.a. Valjakkala has been given a lifetime deportation from Sweden.
     
The original crime took place in July 1988, after Valjakkala had been released from Turku Prison. He and his girlfriend of the time were in Sweden, and Valjakkala attempted to steal a bicycle in the small town of Åmsele.
      The petty theft went bad as the owner of the bike chased him, along with his teenage son. Valjakkala shot his pursuers with a shotgun and later stabbed the man's wife and the boy's mother as she went to look for them.
      Valjakkala was tried and convicted of the triple murder and was moved to Finland to serve his sentence in 1989. He has attempted to escape from gaol on several occasions, most recently in 2004 and 2006. He has previously sought a presidential pardon a number of times without success.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish triple murderer escapes from minimum security prison (29.11.2006)
  The Criminal Sanctions Agency

Links:
  Nikita Fouganthine, formerly Juha Valjakkala (Wikipedia)

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