Rusi wins large award in lawsuit against state

The Finnish state was ordered by Helsinki District Court on Thursday to pay Ambassador Alpo Rusi massive damages linked with allegations that Rusi had engaged in espionage on behalf of the East German espionage agency Stasi.
      The court awarded Rusi EUR 20,000 for economic hardship, EUR 50,000 for mental anguish, EUR 25,000 for lawyer fees, and EUR 80,000 for court costs - all with interest.
      The court found that the there had been a leak of information concerning the suspicions against Rusi, which constituted a violation of his fundamental rights.
     
The decision was seen as surprising and dramatic; few expected that Rusi would get even a partial victory in the case. The court only found in Rusi's favour in the information leak and fundamental rights violation, and did not find merit in his other claims.
      The court found that the decision by the Security Police (SUPO) to start a preliminary investigation into the suspicions against Rusi was legitimate, but that there as a problem in information management both within SUPO and outside it.
      Rusi had asked for damages of half a million euros for mental anguish and economic losses.
      In his view SUPO launched an unfounded preliminary investigation in 2002, in which he was suspected of espionage against the former East Germany.
     
According to the court, the information on the criminal allegations had come from SUPO.
      The court also found that in addition to police officials, those knowledgeable of the criminal suspicions against Rusi included Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, Presidents Martti Ahtisaari and Tarja Halonen, Minister Erkki Tuomioja, Interior Minister Ville Itälä, Centre Party leader Esko Aho, Foreign Ministry official Juhani Suomi and State Secretary Antti Satuli.
      In the court's view, some official, or one of the people mentioned must have violated his or her obligation of silence, negligently leaking the information.
     
In addition, the court found that a violation of fundamental rights had taken place. A statement by Minister of Justice Johannes Koskinen, according to which "It has been noted that there was no evidence of aggravated espionage, but there was evidence of action that was illegal as such", was seen to be a violation of the presumption of innocence.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Former President Ahtisaari testifies in Alpo Rusi case (29.8.2007)
  Supreme Police Command finds no fault with Security Police procedures in Stasi matter (27.8.2007)
  Rusi lawyers say Security Police failed in basic task (21.8.2007)
  Supreme Police Command to study Stasi material of Security Police (10.8.2007)
  Court rejects Alpo Rusi call to publish Stasi lists (26.4.2007)