FINNISH CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT

Current consolidated statute · Chapter 1, Section 6

Syyttäjän on nostettava syyte epäillystä rikoksesta, jos hän katsoo, että:

1. se on laissa säädetty rangaistavaksi;
2. sen syyteoikeus ei ole vanhentunut; ja
3. on olemassa todennäköisiä syitä rikoksesta epäillyn syyllisyyden tueksi.

Vaikka on olemassa todennäköisiä syitä epäillyn syyllisyyden tueksi ja muut 1 momentissa säädetyt edellytykset täyttyvät, syyttäjä saa kuitenkin jättää syytteen nostamatta 7 tai 8 §:n taikka muun vastaavan lainkohdan nojalla.

A prosecutor must bring charges for a suspected offence if the prosecutor considers that:

1. the offence is punishable under law;
2. the right to bring charges for it has not become time-barred; and
3. there are probable grounds to support the guilt of the person suspected of the offence.

Even where there are probable grounds supporting the suspect’s guilt and the other conditions in subsection 1 are met, the prosecutor may nevertheless waive prosecution under section 7 or 8, or another corresponding provision of law.

This English translation is unofficial. The Finnish statutory text is authoritative.

Section 6 does not define the charging threshold solely as probable grounds. Subsection 1 sets out three cumulative conditions: the offence must be punishable by law, prosecution must not be time-barred, and probable grounds must support the suspect’s guilt. Subsection 2 recognises statutory grounds on which prosecution may nevertheless be waived.

This is the prosecutor’s charging decision, not the court’s final standard for determining guilt at trial. The assessment must be impartial and must consider relevant material both supporting and undermining the allegation.

Finlex — Laki oikeudenkäynnistä rikosasioissa (689/1997), current consolidated statute, Chapter 1, section 6

National Prosecution Authority — Consideration of charges

Finnish wording checked against the current consolidated text available on Finlex on 12 October 2026.