Suspended sentences for 16 over Smash ASEM demonstration

Helsinki District Court handed down 16 suspended prison sentences on Monday in a court case surrounding the Smash ASEM demonstration during the Asia Europe Meeting in Helsinki on September 9th last year. Another 42 were ordered to pay fines for their part in the rioting.
      Fourteen defendants were acquitted, while two were convicted but no punishment was given.
      Markus Pentikäinen, a photographer for the news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, was convicted, but no punishment was meted out to him. He had refused police orders to move, saying that his job required him to be on the spot and take photographs.
      Pentikäinen, backed by Suomen Kuvalehti itself, said that he would appeal the decision.
     
The court found 22 defendants guilty of violent rioting. Some were also convicted of violent resistance against an official.
      The defendants were detained during a demonstration which turned ugly.
      Prosecutor Harri Ilander called for suspended prison sentences of at least four months for some of the defendants. In most of the cases he felt that a fine would be enough.
     
Police detained 136 people during the demonstration in front of the Kiasma art museum. Of the group, 86 were charged, but not all of those who were charged could be successfully subpoenaed to court.
      During the trial, the prosecution decided to drop charges against Left Alliance Member of Parliament Paavo Arhinmäki while the trial was going on, because of lack of evidence.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Police criticised for handling of Smash Asem protest (29.11.2007)
  Prosecutor drops ASEM charges against MP Paavo Arhinmäki (1.11.2007)
  Police face assault charges of using excess force during Smash Asem riot (12.3.2007)
  Police action in ASEM demo sparks more than 25 complaints (14.9.2006)
  Complaints filed on police action during Smash Asem protest (12.9.2006)
  Articles on ASEM in Helsinki, September 2006