In July this year, two Finnish journalists were found guilty of disclosing state secrets in Helsinki.

The court decided that the materials contained classifi ed information and ruled that the journalists were responsible for disclosing state secrets regardless of the editorial board’s decision.

The publication cannot be justifi ed by bringing socially signifi cant information to the public’s attention. As reported, the main focus was on revealing state secrets that could harm Finland’s external security without sufficient participation in public debate, according to the court’s ruling.

One of the journalists received a four-month suspended sentence, while the other received a fi ne equivalent to 80 days' wages.

Incidentally, this case is an example of when an appeal against a court sentence leads to a harsher punishment. In the fi rst instance, only one of the journalists was found guilty and was sentenced to a fi ne equivalent to 50 days' wages.

This practice is not uncommon in Finland.