Handing out leaflets punishable by law?

Late in 1997, anti-fur activists in Tampere decided to begin campaigning actively against a particular fur store instead of directing their energies randomly against all the local fur stores. They used to deliver leaflets in front of the store every workday.

As time went on, the police department of Tampere started to pay more and more attention to them. And so it gave the activists orders of a most curious kind; orders such as, "go to the other side of the street," "go to the end of the block," "move on to the park nearby," etc. Once it even regarded it as necessary to keep a watch on two activists who were handing out leaflets in a peaceful way in front of the windows. The police officers cited an "internal order," which has never been shown to the activists, that they based their commands on.

The activists were made to obey the orders under penalty of a fine. In effect, as the activists refused to move away from the fur store, pleading the freedom of speech and assembly, each of them were ordered to pay between 28 to 40 dollars to the state for their "crimes." However, they lodged an appeal from these punishments to district court.

The court case took place in July 1998 in Tampere. The court did not overrule the fines, though. Oddly, for instance, it convicted two activists of disturbing "the public order and safety" and of holding an "unlawful" demontration, although the police officer testified that they were not harming anyone or anything and that they did not hold a demonstration at all.

The activists appealed to the Court of Appeals. In February 1999, in the city of Turku, they appeared before the court once again. This time the court overruled the fines imposed for distributing leaflets. Unfortunately, it did not state that the authorities must not interfere in this kind of activity. More regrettably, it considered it illegal to distribute leaflets and to hold a small paperboard banderolle in a group of four or more in front of the fur store. Despite this setback, the activists whose sentences were not overruled intend to take this case to the Supreme Court.

Even after this court decision, however, the activists have not been allowed to continue their campaign in peace. Indeed, more fines were to come. In May and June 1999, five more anti-fur activists were fined again for using their constitutional rights. More worryingly, the police took one activist's fingerprints and a mug shot of him. (Similarly, in the autumn 1997, they had done this to four other activists.)

Just like the previous time, the activists are prepared to continue their battle in court room if the prosecutor sees fit to press charges.

For more information, either contact us or visit the website of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.