Esitutkintalaki (805/2011), 3 luku 4 §

FINNISH PRE-TRIAL INVESTIGATION ACT

Esitutkintalaki (805/2011), 3 luku 4 § — Asianomistajarikoksen esitutkinnan toimittaminen

Current consolidated statute · Chapter 3, Section 4

Suomenkielinen säädösteksti

Jos syyttäjä saa nostaa syytteen rikoksesta ainoastaan asianomistajan vaatimuksesta (asianomistajarikos), esitutkinta toimitetaan vain, jos asianomistaja on ilmoittanut esitutkintaviranomaiselle tai syyttäjälle vaativansa rikokseen syyllistyneelle rangaistusta. Jos asianomistaja peruuttaa rangaistusvaatimuksensa, tutkinta on lopetettava.

Asianomistajarikoksen esitutkinta saadaan aloittaa, vaikkei rangaistusvaatimusta olekaan tehty, jos asianomistaja ei ilmeisesti vielä tiedä rikoksesta eikä tutkintaa voida siirtää rikoksen selvittämistä vaarantamatta. Tutkinnan aloittamisesta on tällöin viipymättä ilmoitettava asianomistajalle. Tutkinta on lopetettava, jos asianomistaja tiedon rikoksesta saatuaan ei ilmoita vaativansa rikokseen syyllistyneelle rangaistusta.

Jos syyttäjä saa lain mukaan yleisen edun sitä vaatiessa nostaa syytteen asianomistajarikoksesta, vaikkei asianomistaja vaatisikaan rikokseen syyllistyneelle rangaistusta, esitutkinta on syyttäjän pyynnöstä toimitettava.

Jos sen osoittaminen, että rikos on tapahtunut, on lain mukaan edellytys johonkin toimenpiteeseen ryhtymiseen tai jonkin etuuden säilyttämiseen, asianomistajarikoksen esitutkinta on toimitettava tarpeellisessa laajuudessa asianomistajan pyynnöstä, vaikkei hän ilmoitakaan vaativansa rikokseen syyllistyneelle rangaistusta.

English translation (unofficial)

If a prosecutor may bring charges for an offence only at the request of the injured party (an offence subject to a request for prosecution), a pre-trial investigation may be conducted only if the injured party has informed the pre-trial investigation authority or the prosecutor that they require the offender to be punished. If the injured party withdraws that demand for punishment, the investigation must be discontinued.

An investigation of such an offence may be started even before a demand for punishment has been made if the injured party apparently does not yet know about the offence and postponing the investigation would jeopardise its clarification. The injured party must then be informed without delay that the investigation has begun. The investigation must be discontinued if, after learning of the offence, the injured party does not state that they require the offender to be punished.

If the law permits the prosecutor to bring charges for such an offence in the public interest even without a demand for punishment from the injured party, the investigation must be conducted at the prosecutor’s request.

If proof that an offence occurred is a statutory condition for taking a measure or retaining a benefit, an investigation must, at the injured party’s request, be conducted to the necessary extent even if they do not demand that the offender be punished.

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

Legal context

This section contains four distinct rules. First, an offence subject to a request for prosecution generally requires the injured party to demand punishment, and withdrawal of that demand requires the investigation to stop. Second, investigation may begin before a demand is made in the limited situation where the injured party apparently does not yet know of the offence and delay would jeopardise clarification; the injured party must be notified, and the investigation stops if no demand follows after they learn of the offence. Third, a prosecutor may request investigation where law permits prosecution in the public interest without the injured party’s demand. Fourth, investigation may be requested for the limited purpose of establishing an offence where that proof is a legal condition for a measure or benefit.

Do not assume every offence is subject to a request for prosecution. The classification and any statutory exception must be checked for the specific offence.

Questions for checking the procedural record

Was the offence legally subject to a request for prosecution?
Is the injured party’s demand for punishment recorded, or was it withdrawn?
If investigation began before the demand, did the statutory exception apply and was the injured party notified without delay?
Was investigation requested by the prosecutor under the public-interest exception?
Was investigation sought to establish a fact required by law for a measure or benefit?

Official source

Finlex — Esitutkintalaki (805/2011), current consolidated statute, Chapter 3, section 4

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