Five men in their twenties are standing trial this week at Varsinais-Suomi District Court on charges of hostage-taking, Yle reported. The alleged offence took place in Turku, Paimio and Salo in April 2022.
According to the summons, the hostage situation lasted two days. All five defendants also face charges of assaulting the hostage and of aggravated breach of domestic peace in the same proceedings. The charges are expected to be read in open session on Friday.
All five defendants have previously been convicted of several crimes, and the alleged hostage, a man in his twenties, also has a criminal record.
Statistics Finland data show the charge is exceptional in the country. Between 2015 and 2024, only eight convictions were handed down for hostage-taking. The offence means using one person to force a third party to do something and can involve threats to the hostage's life or health.
The maximum sentence is ten years in prison. Police have recorded more than 30 reports under that title in the past 20 years.
Finland's best-known hostage case dates from 2009, when a man from Turku took a woman from a wealthy family hostage and held her for more than two weeks, demanding ransom from the family for her release. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.