Supreme Court reopens case of returning two Finnish-American brothers to U.S.
Minister of Justice emphasises opinion of boys
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The Supreme Court has reopened the case of two Espoo boys who are about to be returned to their American father against their will.
According to a ruling issued by the Supreme Court in early August, the 10- and 13-year-old boys must be returned to their father, who lives in the United States.
The boys' Finnish mother has delivered new evidence to the court, indicating that the boys strongly and systematically oppose returning to the U.S., where the family lived together before the parents' divorce. The evidence consists of interviews with the boys, as well as the statements of therapists.
The brothers have reported that their father is violent and prone to outbursts.
The boys' parents separated in 2001. Last summer, the mother did not return the boys to the U.S. after their summer holidays, stating that the boys wish to remain in Finland.
The Helsinki Court of Appeal found that the brothers are mature enough that their opinion must be listened to. The Supreme Court overturned this ruling, finding that the opinion of a child is not a sufficient reason from a legal point of view to keep the boys in Finland.
Minister of Justice Johannes Koskinen has publicly commented that the opinion of children must always be sought and listened to in custody disputes. Koskinen maintains that the views of the children should affect the decisions of courts.
Koskinen has stressed that he does not want to criticise the Supreme Court in this particular case.
The Supreme Court will continue to process the case today.
Helsingin Sanomat
