EUROPEAN y gathering 35 local scholars, experts, and civil society activists specialized in and human rights, the fifth edition of theEuropean Islamophobia Report addresses a still timely and politically important issue. All 32 country reports REPORT includedB in this book follow a unique structure that is convenient, first, for comparing countries and, second, for selected readings on a particular topic such as politics, em- 2019 ployment, or education with regard to Islamophobia across Europe. The present report investigates in detail the underlying dynamics that directly or indirectly ENES BAYRAKLI • FARID HAFEZ (Eds) support the rise of anti-Muslim racism in Europe. This extends from Islamophobic state- ments spread in national media to laws and policies that restrain the fundamental rights of European Muslim citizens and threaten the whole of society. As a result, the European Islamophobia Report 2019 discusses the impact of anti-Muslim racism on human rights, , and the state of law in Europe. This fifth edition of our report highlights how European societies are progressively over- whelmed by the Islamophobic discourse of the “Great Replacement” and other far-right conspiracy theories. The 32 country reports demonstrate how governments and main- stream media participate in reproducing such discourses that put the fundamental rights of millions of European citizens in jeopardy and how one can counteract these developments. This compendium of useful insights and data aims to provide European policy-makers, institutions, and NGOs with recommendations on how to tackle anti-Muslim racism in Europe seriously. EUROPEAN ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT 2019

About SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) is a non-profit research institute based in Turkey dedicated to innovative studies on national, regional and in- ternational issues. SETA is the leading think tank in Turkey and has offices in Ankara, Istanbul, Washington D.C., Berlin and Brussels. The objective of SETA is to produce up-to-date and accurate knowledge and analyses in the fields of politics, economy, and society, and inform policy makers and the public on changing political, economic, social, and cultural conditions. Through research reports, publications, brain storming sessions, conferences and policy recommendations, SETA seeks to guide leaders in government, civil society, and business, and contributes to informed decision making mechanisms. ENES BAYRAKLI • FARID HAFEZ (E ds)

9 786257 040525 ANKARA • ISTANBUL • WASHINGTON D.C. • BERLIN • BRUSSELS EUROPEAN ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT 2019

ENES BAYRAKLI • FARID HAFEZ (Eds) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, without permission in writing from the publishers.

ISBN: 978-625-7040-52-5 COPYRIGHT © 2020 by SETA First Published in 2020

Cover and Layout: Erkan Söğüt Proofreading: Dr. Eva Stamoulou Oral Printed in Turkey, İstanbul by Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık A.Ş.,

SETA | FOUNDATION FOR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Nenehatun Caddesi No: 66 GOP Çankaya 06700 Ankara TÜRKİYE Phone:+90 312.551 21 00 | Fax :+90 312.551 21 90 www.setav.org | [email protected] | @setavakfi

SETA | İstanbul Defterdar Mh. Savaklar Cd. Ayvansaray Kavşağı No: 41-43 Eyüpsultan İstanbul TÜRKİYE Phone: +90 212 315 11 00 | Fax: +90 212 315 11 11 SETA | Washington D.C. 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1106 Washington, D.C., 20036 USA Phone: 202-223-9885 | Fax: 202-223-6099 www.setadc.org | [email protected] | @setadc SETA | Berlin Französische Straße 12, 10117 Berlin Phone: +49 30 20188466 SETA | Brussels Avenue des Arts 27, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique Tel: +3226520486 ABOUT EDITORS Enes Bayraklı Mr. Bayraklı earned his BA, MA and PhD from the Department of Political Sci- ence at the University of Vienna, and conducted research for his PhD thesis at the University of Nottingham in Britain between 2009 and 2010. He took office as a deputy director at Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center in London in 2011-2013. Mr. Bayraklı also served as the founding director of Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Centers in Constanta and Bucharest during the period of August-December 2012. Mr. Bayraklı has been a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at the Turkish-German University since 2013. His fields of research include the Trans- formation of Turkish Foreign Policy, Cultural Diplomacy, Foreign Policy Analysis, German Politics and Foreign Policy. [email protected] Farid Hafez Farid Hafez, PhD (Political Science, University of Vienna), is a political scientist and non-resident senior researcher at Georgetown University’s “The Bridge Initiative” at the School of Foreign Service. He defended his habilitation thesis on “Islam Politics in the Second Republic of Austria” at the University of Salzburg in 2019. In 2017, he was a Fulbright visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley and in 2014, he was a visiting scholar at Columbia University, New York. Since 2010, he has been the editor of the Islamophobia Studies Yearbook, and since 2015 the co-editor of the European Islamophobia Report. Hafez has received the Bruno Kreisky Award for the “Political Book of the Year” for his anthology Islamophobia in Austria (co-edited with John Bunzl). He has more than 100 publications in leading journals such as Politics and Religion, Patterns of Prejudice, and German Politics and Society. His latest publications are Islamophobia in Muslim Majority Societies (Routledge, co-edited with Enes Bayrakli, 2019) and Feindbild Islam. Über die Salonfähigkeit von Rassismus (Islam- ophobia. On the Acceptance of Racism. Bohlau, 2019). Email: [email protected]

For more information about the EIR: www.islamophobiaeurope.com [email protected] ISLAMOPHOBIA IN fınland

ISLAMOPHOBIA IN NATIONAL REPORT 2019

ENRIQUE TESSIERI

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The Author Enrique Tessieri is a sociologist and former journalist who writes and researches immigration topics. As a journalist, Tessieri worked in countries like Finland, , Italy, Argentina, and Colombia writing on topics including human rights, business, and foreign investment. Tessieri is editor of Migrant Tales, a community blog he founded in 2007. He is chairperson and founder of the Anti- Organisa- tion Finland and vice president of Rom-Mikkeli, an association founded in 2015 to further the rights of the Roma minority of Mikkeli, a city located in Eastern Finland. Tessieri works at Otava Folk High School near the city of Mikkeli, and is an advisor for the Master in Conflict, Peace and Security at the Open University of Catalonia. Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: Statements of fact and opinion in the national reports of the European Islamophobia Report are those of the respective authors. They are not the expression of the editors or the funding institutions. No representation, either expressed or im- plied, is made of the accuracy of the material in the national reports. The editors of the European Islamophobia Report cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The reader must make his or her own evaluation of the accuracy and appropriateness of the material. To cite this report: Enrique Tessieri: Islamophobia in Finland: National Report 2019, in: Enes Bayraklı & Farid Hafez, European Islamophobia Report 2019, Istanbul, SETA, 2020.

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Executive Summary Last year was especially challenging to Muslims in Finland because it was an elec- tion year. As in the parliamentary elections of 2011 and 2015, anti-Muslim rhetoric played important roles in attracting voter support for the Islamophobic Party (PS). Last year, the sexual assault cases that took place in the northern Finnish city of Oulu provided the PS with an election lifesaver. Support for the PS in opinion polls stood at 8.6% in December 2018 but soared to 22.7% a year later. The big prize for the party came in the parliamentary elections of 14 April when it won 39 seats and came in second place losing only by a hair to the Social Demo- crats. The European Parliament (MEP) elections (26 May) a month later were a sad example of the hostile attitude some candidates expressed concerning asylum seekers. As many as 36.3% (85/234) of the Finnish MEP candidates disagreed or were neutral in an election compass that the EU is obliged to save people from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. Anti-Muslim sentiment lifted its head again at the end of the year when a heated political debate took place on the repatriation of 11 women and their 30-odd children to Finland from the al-Hol refugee camp in northeast Syria. The fact that the PS is the biggest opposition party in parliament with 39 MPs means that the following three and half years will be especially trying for the cen- ter-left coalition of Prime Minister Sanna Marin, a Social Democrat. The fact that the PS led in the polls at the end of the year has not emboldened the party but is proof that xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism will continue to dominate political discussion in Finland. The awaited reforms to relax asylum policy may take longer than expected due to strong opposition from the PS and other opposition parties like the (Kokoomus) and the Christian Democrats.

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Tiivistelmä Viime vuosi oli erityisen haastava muslimeille Suomessa, koska 2019 oli vaalivuosi. Kuten vuosien 2011 ja 2015 eduskuntavaaleissa, muslimien vastaisella retoriikalla oli iso rooli populistisen Perussuomalaisen puolueen kannatuksessa. Viime vuoden seksuaalirikostapaukset Oulussa tarjosi Perussuomalaisille tärkeän vaalipelastuksen. Mielipidetutkimukset puhuvat puolestaan: Perussuomalaisten tuki oli joulukuus- sa 2018 8,6%, mutta se kasvoi 22,7% vuodessa. Puolue sai ison lahjan huhtikuun eduskuntavaalissa, joissa Perussuomalaiset sai 39 kansanedustajaa ja hävisi niukasti sosiaalidemokraateille, jotka voittivat vaalit. Noin kuukausi myöhemmin Europarla- menttivaalien (26. toukokuuta) kampanjoinnissa nähtiin vihamielisyyttä turvapaik- kahakijoita kohtaan. Yhdessä vaalikoneessa 36,3% (84/234) eurovaaliehdokkaista katsoi, ettei ole EU:n velvollisuus pelastaa siirtolaisia hukkumisvaaralta Välimerel- lä. Muslimi-vastainen ilmapiiri nosti jälleen päänsä vuoden lopulla, kun alkoi vil- kas politiinen keskustelu 11 naisen ja heidän 30 lapsensa kotiuttamisesta Suomeen al-Holin pakolaisleiristä Koillis-Syyriassa. Koska perussuomalaiset ovat suurin op- positiopuolue eduskunnassa 39 kansanedustajan voimalla, on selvää että seuraavat kolme vuotta ennen vaaleja tulee olemaan vaikeita pääministeri Sanna Marinin kes- kustavasemmistolaiselle hallitukselle. Perussuomalaiset johtavat myös mielipidetut- kimuksia. Perussuomalaisten muslimivastainen retoriikka tule olemaan poliittisen keskustelun keskiössä. Odotettu maahanmuuttolain löystyminen tulee kestämään kauemmin, koska hallituksella on pelko perussuomalaisten ja muiden oppositiopuo- lueiden (kokoomus ja kristillisdemokraatit) kannatuksen noususta.

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Country Profile EIR 2019 Country: Finland Type of Regime: Parliamentary Republic Form of Government: Republic Ruling Parties: Social Democratic Party, , , Left Alli- ance, and Swedish People’s Party Opposition Parties: , National Coalition Party, Christian Demo- crats, and Movement Now Last Elections: 2019 Parliamentary election (Social Democrats: 40 seats, Finns Party: 39 seats, National Coalition Party: 38 seats, Centre Party: 31 seats, Green League: 20 seats, : 16 seats, Swedish People’s Party: 9 seats, Christian Democrats: 5 seats, Movement Now: 1 seat, and Åland Coalition: 1 seat); 2019 Eu- ropean Parliament election (National Coalition Party: 3 seats, Green League: 1 + 1 seat if the UK leaves the EU, Social Democratic Party: 2 seats, Finns Party: 2 seats, Centre Party: 2 seats, and Left Alliance: 1 seat). Total Population: 5,527,573 (in 2019) Major Languages: Finnish and Swedish Official Religion: N/A Statistics on Islamophobia: The latest Police University College hate crime report for 2018, the only source for hate crime in the country, showed suspected hate crimes decreased by 22% to 910 cases from the previous year, while Muslims contin- ued to be the most affected group. Police sources state that there is a sharp drop in asylum seekers entering the country after 2015. The lion’s share of hate crimes was due to ethnic or national origin (69.7%), and religion (17%). Sixty-seven percent of hate crimes due to ethnic or national background were reported by men and 33% by women. The most affected group by nationality were Iraqis. After rising by 58% in 2017, hate crimes due to religious background fell by 34% and the most affected were Muslims. Like in many EU countries, hate crime cases are underreported and represent only the tip of the iceberg. Statistics on Racism and Discrimination: Different studies show that labor market discrimination is a problem in Finland. Akhlaq Ahmad’s study in October confirmed what we have known for a long time: if you have a Muslim foreign-sound- ing name, your chances of getting a job interview may be difficult. Organizations like the Council of Europe Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) have called on Finland to take a tougher stance on hate speech and racism. Major Religions (% of Population): Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church 3,853,106 (69.7%); Islam est. 110,000-120,000 (2-2.2%); Finnish Orthodox Church 59,560 (1.08%); Jehovah’s Witnesses 17,303 (0.31%); Finnish Free Church 15,312 (0.28%); Catholic Church 14,357 (0.26%); Pentecostals 11,237 (0.20%);

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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 3,275 (0.6%); Buddhist 1,777 (0.03%); Baptist Church 1,568 (0.03%); United Methodist Church 1,381 (0.02%); Judaism 1,096 (0.02%) Muslim Population (% of Population): Estimated at 110,000-120,000 (2- 2.2%) Main Muslim Community Organizations: Federation of Islamic Organiza- tions of Finland (Islamilaisten järjestöjen liitto); Suomen Islamilainen Yhdyskunta; Islamic Council of Finland (Suomen Islamilainen Neuvosto); Resalat Islamilainen Yh- dyskunta (Resalat Islamic Society); Suomen Islam-Seurakunta; Islam Keskus; Suomen Muslimiliitto; Nuoret Muslimit; Nuorten Muslimien Foorumi; Tampeeren Is- lamin yhdyskunta, Islamic Society of Northern Finland (Pohjois-Suomen Islamilainen Yhdyskunta), The Islamic Rahma Center in Finland, Turun Islamilainen Yhdyskunta, and Suomen Islamilainen Diyanet Yhdyskunta. Main NGOs Combating Islamophobia: Finland does not have a specific NGO that combats Islamophobia. Some that address the issue are the Islamic Coun- cil of Finland, The National Forum for Cooperation of Religions in Finland, Nuoret Muslimit, Helsingin Muslimit, Anti-Hate Crime Organisation Finland, Anti-Racist Forum, Liikkukaa -Sports for All, and Migrant Tales. Far-Right Parties: The Finns Party,Suomen Kansa Ensin, Reformi puolue (not a registered party yet). Far-Right Movements: Kohti vapautta! (formerly Kansallinen Vastarinta/ Suomen vastarintaliike), , Finnish Defence League, Suomi Ensi (Fin- land First), Far-Right Terrorist Organizations: N/A ű Limits to Islamic Practices: None ű Hijab Ban: None ű Halal Slaughter Ban: None. There were plans by the former government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä to ban halal slaughter from 1 January 2021 with the Animal Welfare Act. The draft law became redundant after Sipilä’s gov- ernment resigned in March 2019. ű Minaret Ban: None ű Circumcision Ban: None ű Burka Ban: The far right and Islamophobic parties like the Finns Party (PS) and Finnish People First have tried to ban the burka and the niqab. PS First Vice-President Riikka Purra stated before the parliamentary election that the party wants to ban the use of the burka, niqab, and girls using hijabs. ű Prayer Ban: None

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Introduction After four years of tougher immigration policy spearheaded by the previous right- wing government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, there was renewed hope that matters would change with the new government led by the Social Democrats and formed by the Centre Party, Green League, Left Alliance and Swedish People’s Party. According to Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government program, human rights and respecting international agreements on refugees are high priorities. The program states: “Hu- man rights and human dignity belong to us all. We pledge to build a Finland that is tolerant and respects and promotes everyone’s human rights. Our country has zero tolerance for bullying and racism. We want to build a nation that is equal, accessible and supportive”.1 While the Muslim community hopes that the government will take bolder steps to challenge racism and discrimination, the big question is how far it will go in light of the Finns Party, which is the biggest opposition party and is openly hostile to Muslims and people of color. Discussion of Islamophobic Incidents and Discursive Events Physical and Verbal Attacks In January 2020, there was a plot by a 22-year-old Latvian national to kill Muslims and migrants in Helsinki on New Year’s Eve 2018 with a homemade bomb.2 Unfor- tunately, the Latvian construction worker, who denies such plans to kill people, is not being charged with plotting a terrorist act but for preparing “a serious crime that threatens life and health.” The suspect will be indicted in February by a court and faces a four-year prison term. After being vandalized nine times since September 2017, the Oulu Mosque did not suffer any new attacks after 26 February 2019.3 The Al-Ikhlas Mosque in the Helsinki suburb of saw fireworks thrown at it on 10 May and 23 May 2019.4 Another mosque in the eastern Helsinki neighborhood of Mellunmäki was smeared a number of times with hate graffiti.5 (Fig. 1)

1. “Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government 10 December 2019 – Inclusive and Competent Finland”, Publication of the , 33 (2019), http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/han- dle/10024/161935/VN_2019_33.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y, (Access date: 12 January 2020). 2. Kimmo Oksanen and Kaisu Moilanen, “Miksi pommi-isku suunnittelusta epäiltyä miestä ei syytetä terrorismista? Syyttäjä ja oikeustieteilijä arvioivat ratkaisua”, Helsingin Sanomat, 17 January 2020, https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/ art-2000006375914.html?share=e413a0190ea236b4db1228bcff00fc66, (Access date: 19 January 2020). 3. Enrique Tessieri, “Oulu Mosque Vandalized for the Ninth Time”, Migrant Tales, 26 February 2019, https://www. migranttales.net/oulu-mosque-vandalized-for-the-ninth-time/, (Access date: 12 January 2020). 4. Enrique Tessieri, “Another Firework Is Thrown at the Al-Ikhlas Mosque on Thursday,” Migrant Tales, 25 May 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/another-firework-is-thrown-at-the-al-ikhlas-mosque-on-thursday/, (Access date: 12 January 2020). 5. Enrique Tessieri, “ Abbas Bahmanpour: Kun syyllistät kaikki muslmit ja hiljaisuus on vastaus”, Migrant Tales, 14 March 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/facebook-abbas-bahmanpour-kun-syyllistat-kaikki-muslim- it-ja-hiljaisuus-on-vastaus/, (Access date: 12 January 2020).

268 setav.org ISLAMOPHOBIA IN fınland saw fireworks thrown at it on 10 May and 23 May 2019.4 Another mosque in the eastern Helsinki neighborhood of Mellunmäki was smeared with hate graffiti.5 (Fig. 1)

Figure 1: Facebook post by Imam Abbas Bahmanpour: “It is irritating to arrive in the morning to open the mosque [in east Helsinki] to a group of students who came to see the mosque and find such text written on the wall. Unfortunately, this happensFigure when 1: Facebook politicians start post to by blame Imam Muslims Abbas collectively Bahmanpour as a result :of “It what is oneirritating person hasto arrive in the morning to open the mosque done. It is irritating that[in eveneast people Helsinki] like [Helsinki to a deputygroup mayor of students for leisure whoand culture] came Nasima to see Razmyar the mosque cave in to and find such text written on the wall. this [type of rhetoric].Unfortunately, Is everyone blamed this when happens [white Finn] when Teppo politicians stabs his girlfriend? start to I am blame very disappointed Muslims withcollectively as a result of what one person our MPs. One should not spread hatred in our society to get votes. Moral values should be above populism if we do not want to suffer fromhas fascismdone. andIt isoppression.” irritating6 that even people like [Helsinki deputy mayor for leisure and culture] Nasima Razmyar cave in to this [type of rhetoric]. Is everyone blamed when [white Finn] Teppo stabs his girlfriend? I am very Oulu Mosque’sdisappointed imam with Dr. ourAbdul MPs. Mannan One should said not that spread the hostilehatred in environment our society to in get votes. Moral values should be above 6 Oulu caused bypopulism the sexual if we assault do not cases want involvingto suffer from former fascism asylum and seekers,oppression.” and which brought Islamophobes like Katie Hopkins to the city in January, made Muslims feel Oulu Mosque’s imam Dr. Abdul Mannan said that the hostile environment in Oulu caused by unsafe, and that some avoided going to the city center.7 Despite the hostile envi- ronment experiencedthe sexual by some assault Muslims cases ininvolving Oulu, matters former calmed asylum down seekers after, theand 14 which brought Islamophobes like April parliamentaryKatie elections, Hopkins according to the city to Dr.in JanuaryMannan., Themade Christchurch Muslims feel attack un safewas , and that some avoided going another factor that instilled fear. Members of the Oulu mosque guarded the build- to the city center.7 Despite the hostile environment experienced by some Muslims in Oulu, ing during Friday prayers because their request for security by the police was turned down. Other hostilematters acts calmed against downthe Muslim after community the 14 April of Finland parliamentary were seen beforeelections, according to Dr. Mannan. the European OtherParliament hostile elections acts againstof May whenthe Muslim a far-right community Finland First of candidateFinland were seen before the European desecrated the Koran in public.8 Even if suspected hate crime cases retreated by 21.9% in 2018 compared with the previous year, or a total of 910 versus 1,165 cases, the lion’s share (86.8%) of all

4 6. Imam Abbas Bahmanpour, Enrique Facebook, Tessieri, https://www.facebook.com/abbas.bahmanpour, “Another Firework Is Thrown at the 14Al March-Ikhlas 2019, Mosque (Access on Thursday,” Migrant Tales, 25 May date: 3 February 2020).2019, https://www.migranttales.net/another-firework-is-thrown-at-the-al-ikhlas-mosque-on-thursday/, (Access 7. Enrique Tessieri,date: “Is Oulu, 12 JanuaryFinland, a 2020).Safe Place for Muslims?”, Migrant Tales, 29 April 2019, https://www.mi- 5 granttales.net/is-oulu-finland-a-safe-place-for-muslims/, Enrique Tessieri, “Facebook (Access Abbas date: 29Bahmanpour: April 2019). Kun syyllistät kaikki muslmit ja hiljaisuus on vastaus”, Migrant Tales, 14 March 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/facebook-abbas-bahmanpour-kun-syyllistat-kaikki- 8. Ali Murat Alhas, “Far-right Finnish Politician Rips up Quran”, Anadolu Agency, 26 May 2019, https://www. aa.com.tr/en/europe/far-right-finnish-politician-rips-up-quran/1489562,muslimit-ja-hiljaisuus-on-vastaus/, (Access (Access date: date: 12 January 12 March 2020).2020). 6 Imam Abbas Bahmanpour, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/abbas.bahmanpour, 14 March 2019, (Access date: 3 February 2020). 7 Enrique Tessieri, “Is Oulu, Finland, a Safe Place for Muslims?”, Migrant Tales, 29 April 2019, islamophobiaeurope.comhttps://www.migranttales.net/is • @islamophobiaEIR-oulu-finland-a-safe-place-for-muslims/, 269(Access date: 29 April 2019). EUROPEAN ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT 2019

hate crimes were motivated by national-ethnic origin and religion.9 The Iraqis faced the highest frequency of hate crime due to national and ethnic origin; the majority of hate crimes due to religious backgrounds were against Muslims. An intense public debate at the end of the year, which almost turned into a political crisis,10 surround- ing the repatriation of 11 Finnish women and about 30 children from the al-Hol ref- ugee camp in Syria. This was reported to have impacted Muslim women in Finland who wear a niqab negatively as they were harassed publicly for being “ISIS wives.”11 The European Court of Human Rights announced in November that Finland was guilty of violating Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 2 guarantees that everyone has a right to life, while Article 3 prohibits inhumane treatment like torture. The decision was seen as a visible thumbs down against Finland’s strict asylum policy. The case involves an Iraqi national who was de- nied asylum in 2017 and who was allegedly killed few weeks after he returned to his home country.12 The majority of asylum seekers who came to Finland (1 January-6 December 2015) were from Muslim-majority countries like Iraq (20,031 or 64% of total), Afghanistan (4,816 or 15%), Somalia (1,954 or 6%), and Syria (785 or 3%).13 Employment Finding work is one of the biggest challenges migrants in general and Muslims spe- cifically face in Finland’s racialized and segregated labor markets. Unemployment of people who don’t speak Finnish, Swedish, or Saami as their mother tongue, stood at 22.4% against the national average of 10.48% for 2017, according to the lat- est Statistics Finland figures.14 Some of the groups with the highest unemployment rate were Arabic speakers (50.9%), Somali speakers (43.5%), Pastu Afghan speakers (41.4%), Persian Farsi speakers (36.5%), Turkish speakers (24.3%), and Urdu speak- ers (19.5%). By sex, national unemployment rates for men and women were 11.8% and 9.1%, respectively. That compares with 65.4% for women who are Arabic speak- ers and 49.5% for Somali speakers.

9. Jenita Rauta, “Poliisin tietoon tullut viharikollisuus Suomessa 2018”, Poliisiammatikorkeakoulu, 4 November 2019, https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/261556/Polamk_katsaus_15_Viharikos_B5_WEB.pdf?se- quence=1&isAllowed=y, (Access date: 12 January 2020). 10. “Timeline: The Foreign Ministry Flap over Repatriating Finns from al-Hol Refugee Camp”, News, https:// yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/timeline_the_foreign_ministry_flap_over_repatriating_finns_from_al-hol_refugee_ camp/11111113, (Access date: 20 February 2020). 11. Conversation with Linda Hyökki via Facebook Messenger (16 January 2020). 12. “Court Rules Finland Violated Human Rights of Murdered Asylum Seeker”, Yle News, 14 November 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/court_rules_finland_violated_human_rights_of_murdered_asylum_seek- er/11068398, (Access date: 21 January 2020). 13. “Vireille tullet turvapaikkahakemukset 1.12015- 6.12.2015”, Maahanmuuttovirasto, 7 December 2015, https:// migri.fi/documents/5202425/6160773/2015+Vireille+tulleet+turvapaikkahakemukset+1.1.-6.12.+%28fi%29, (Access date: 23 January 2020). 14. “Population by Main Type of Activity, Language, Occupational Status, Sex, Age and Year 2000-2017”, Sta- tistics Finland, http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin_Passiivi/StatFin_Passiivi__vrm__tyokay/statfinpas_ tyokay_pxt_006_201700.px/, (Access date: 1 January 2020).

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It is important to note that the most vulnerable groups in the Finnish labor market are immigrants from the Middle East, Northern Africa, Somalia, and those who have arrived as refugees.15 Moreover, women from these groups suffer higher unemployment than their countrymen even if they have the same level of schooling. Of all the Nordic countries, Finland has performed the worse when it comes to employing migrant women. The employment rate of migrant women was 55% while for migrant men it was 72%.16 A study published in October by Akhlaq Ahmad showed again that having a for- eign-sounding name puts you at a clear disadvantage in the low-skilled Finnish labor market.17 All of the applicants had the same qualifications and spoke the same level of Finnish. Those with Finnish names scored the highest (390 people out of 500), with the corresponding figure for Iraqi and Somalis being 134 and 99, respectively.18 While it is possible to get employment with a hijab, the religion of the person can be a hindrance. In September, the district court of Helsinki ruled in favor of a Muslim against the City of Helsinki for discrimination and paid him 36,000 euros in damages.19 The worker, who was hired, was turned down for the job after he asked if he could get 5 minutes unpaid prayer time and one hour on Fridays. Education One particular complaint from Muslim parents is that their children are not getting Muslim education at school because teachers are not Muslim or are not qualified.20 Some imams considered the Salam series, which was published by the Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus) for comprehensive and mid- dle school as steps in the right direction for teaching Islam. The new Salam series for 7-9 graders will be published in spring.21

15. Ojeaku Nwabuzo, “Racism & Discrimination in Employment in Europe 2013-2017”, European Network Against Racism Shadow Report, p. 18-19, file:///Users/etessieri/Downloads/ENAR_Shadowreport_2013_2017%20 (3).pdf, (Access date: 1 January 2020). 16. “Report: Finland Trails Nordics in Employing Immigrant Women”, Yle New”, 22 January 2020, https://yle.fi/ uutiset/osasto/news/report_finland_trails_nordics_in_employing_immigrant_women/11170260?fbclid=IwAR3N- liQqNCiwxxk-NHFJPbzy2wucqFA5-eMFIJIS0hxzl-Wt6iLRlNRQ_cc, (Access date: 23 January 2020). 17. Enrique Tessieri, “Study: If You Have a ‘Foreign’-Sounding Name, You Will Need More Than Luck to Get Work”, Migrant Tales, 21 October 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/study-if-you-have-a-foreign-sounding- name-you-will-need-more-than-luck-to-get-work/, (Access date: 1 January 2020). 18. “Mies pyysi rukoushetkiä, työsuhde peruuntui – virkamiehille tuomi työsyrjinnnästä”, Yle, 19 September 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10980003, (Access date: 1 January 2020). 19. “Mies pyysi rukoushetkiä, työsuhde peruuntui – virkamiehille tuomio työsyrjinnästä”, YLE-STT, 19 September 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10980003, (Access date: 12 January 2020). 20. For more information, see: Helsingin Muslimit, “Islamin opetus kouluissa”, Islamin Opetus Kouluissa, https:// helsinginmuslimit.fi/islamin-opetus-kouluissa/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=0d9fa829b5688ea04e3ee181645d69096c2 010d8-1579457438-0-Aap5IU4pA-LDdmyKxnV2u-E1hdGIT5rbZ4CnfOKNWMPReQE6ZfyooduQ3_Wr- ElWuyzkoBh6aSd7_989sy3pYXpklDRPuol7qp7b2Us6ETZvuBd0G9GPEwnRsGq9Tyf4M0-O9qNQNF92R- ja3ixR7_W0bsgY495TvhYA0J6cqND5iruZMjiuocPNXP6W7ONbX7R7RIKdZcK4nHagMyxUIuU7DzKVGN- j5rZTU8ndnR0_f7rKpTMbpZjuPDoW3ahDrnakumHC9NrbtNoZ61yiWEdPOsT0-JZn0Z3ZcPZVoD1weMy, (Access date: 19 January 2020). Also telephone conversation with Imam Abbas Bahampour (31 December 2019). 21. Telephone conversation with Imam Anas Hajar (8 January 2020).

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Politics After four years (2015-2019) of a conservative government headed by Prime Min- ister Juha Sipilä that tightened immigration laws like family reunification in 2016,22 there is hope that matters may improve with the new government. The biggest ob- stacle to any loosening of asylum laws is the Finns Party (PS), which is openly hostile to what it calls “harmful” immigration, which is code for Muslim asylum seekers.23 One of the anti-Islam claims is to “stop all harmful immigration” to Finland. Some interpret this to mean leaving the Geneva Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights.24 The brainchild of the PS’s anti-Islam message is its leader Jussi Halla-aho, who was convicted of ethnic agitation and breaching the sanctity of religion in 2012. In an interview with Danish daily Politiken,25 published a day before the April parlia- mentary election, Halla-aho said that his only aim in politics is to change immigra- tion policy and convert the Finns Party into such a powerful political force that other parties will have no choice but to accept their policies like the Danish People’s Party did in . Halla-aho’s comments are no surprise, considering that the Finns Party has been a close ideological ally of the Danish People’s Party26 which was instru- mental in making Denmark a hostile country for Muslims.27 In light of the present situation and political landscape of the country, anti-Muslim rhetoric will continue to dominate Finnish politics for the time being. Media Stories about Muslims in the Finnish media are too often biased and unbalanced. Likewise, there is little trust among certain leaders of the Muslim community of the media, where there are very few, if any, Muslims working as reporters, never mind as editors. Two cases of biased reporting were the sexual assault cases of

22. ”Amnesty International Report 2016/2017”, Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Doc- uments/POL1048002017ENGLISH.PDF, (Access date: 1 January 2020). 23. “Vote Finland Back”, The Finns Party Election Programme 2019, https://www.perussuomalaiset.fi/wp-content/ uploads/2019/06/Eduskuntavaaliohjelma-2019_SU_In_English_1.pdf, (Accessed date: 19 January 2020). 24. Lauri Finér, “Millaista on perussuomalaisten maahanmuuttopolitiikka?”, Veropolitiikka blogi, 6 January 2020, https://veropolitiikka.blog/2020/01/06/millaista-on-perussuomalaisten-maahanmuuttopolitiikka/, (Access date: 19 January 2020). 25. Kristian Klarskov, “Usædvanlig finsk højrefløjsleder har fordoblet målingerne på fire måneder: ‘Man kan se på mit ansigt, at jeg absolut ikke nyder det her”, Politiken, 13 April 2019, https://politiken.dk/udland/art7137325/»Man- kan-se-på-mit-ansigt-at-jeg-absolut-ikke-nyder-det-her«, (Access date: 1 January 2020). 26. Enrique Tessieri, “The ‘Denmarkization’ of Finnish Immigration Policy”, Migrant Tales, 19 December 2015, https://www.migranttales.net/the-denmarkization-of-finnish-immigration-policy/, (Access date: 1 Janu- ary 2020). 27. Sibel Özcan and Zeynep Bangert, “Islamophobia in Denmark National Report 2018”, ed. Enes Bayraklı and Farid Hafez, European Islamophobia Report 2018, (SETA, İstanbul: 2019), p. 251-282, http://www.islamophobiaeu- rope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/DENMARK.pdf, (Access date: 1 January 2020).

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Oulu28 that came to public light at the end of November 2018, and at the end of last year, the repatriation of 11 women and about 30 children in the al-Hol refugee camp in northeast Syria. During a 79-day period Yle alone published 77 stories (27 November 2018 - 13 February 2019) about the sexual29 assault cases;30 in the case of al-Hol, Yle published 71 stories and Helsingin Sanomat 36 stories during a twenty-day period (2-21 December 2019).31 While some believed there was “a sexual assault epidemic of minors” by Muslims, only eight were found guilty and handed prison terms.32

Figure 2: The Finnish media commonly reinforces stereotypic perceptions of Muslim women. The story by Figure 2: The Finnish media commonly reinforces stereotypic perceptions of Muslim women. The story by Finland’s leading daily,Finland’s Helsingin leading Sanomat daily, Helsingin, suggests Sanomat that, suggests the 11 thatFinnish the 11 women Finnish womenand their and roughlytheir roughly 30 children30 children at at the al-Hol camp in Syria wear burkas, even if they actually wear niqabs. Such illustrations help to create the assumption that all the al-Hol camp in Syria wear burkas, even if they actually wear niqabs. Such illustrations help to create the Muslim women, even Finnish converts to Islam, wear burkas.33 assumption that all Muslim women, even Finnish converts to Islam, wear burkas.33 Negative and overzealous reporting by the media had an especially negative im- pact onNegative the Muslim and overzealous community reporting ofby Oulu.the media The had an media’sespecially reporting negative impact and on public the outrage, fueled byMuslim politicians community and of Oulu. even The the media’s police, overzealous encouraged reporting and knee-jerk public outrage responses, fueled by by govern- politicians and even the police, encouraged knee-jerk responses by government politicians who 28. Enriquedemanded Tessieri, asylum “YLE seekersCoverage be ofgiven Sexual tests Assaults on Finnish Committed values, the by loss White of citizenship Finns and if Migrantsconvicted Is Unbalanced, Racialized and Opinionated”, Migrant Tales, 10 April 2018, https://www.migranttales.net/yle-coverage-of-sexu- 34 al-assaults-committed-by-white-finns-and-migrants-is-unbalanced-racialized-and-opinionated/,of a serious crime, and brought about recommendations by city officials to momentarily ban(Access date: 29 Decemberasylum 2019). seekers from visiting day care centers and elementary schools.35 29. Enrique Tessieri, “Actions of the Finnish Police and Yle Reveal Multicultural Incompetence in Coverage of Oulu Sexual Assault Cases”, Migrant Tales, 24 April 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/actions-of-the-finnish-po- lice-and-yle-reveal-multicultural-incompetence-in-coverage-of-oulu-sexual-assault-cases/, (Access date: 29 Decem- ber 2019). 30. Anu Koivunen, “Turvallisuusuhka”, Suomen Kuvalehti, 25 January 2019 https://suomenkuvalehti.fi/jutut/ kulttuuri/mita-saadaan-kun-seksuaalirikokset-turvapaikanhakijat-ja-perussuomalaisten-gallupnousu-kohtaavat-tol- kuton-mediapaniikki/?shared=1059892-60bafb74-999, (Access date: 4 February 2020). For more information, see: Enrique Tessieri, “The Media of Finland Is Part of the Country’s Islamophobia and Racism Problem”, Migrant Tales, 26 January 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/the-media-of-finland-is-part-of-the-countrys-islamophobia- and-racism-problem/, (Access date: 4 February 2020). 33 Sami Silanpää, “11 naista ja heidän lapsensa”, Helsingin Sanomat, 13 December 2019, 31. Enriquehttps://www.hs.fi/sunnuntai/art Tessieri, “Media Coverage-2000006341623.html of the Women, (Accessand Children date: 29 December Refugees 2019). of the al-Hol Camp Is a Low for Finn- ish Journalism”,34 “Faster Migrant Asylum Process, Tales, Civics22 December Test, Proof of2019, Study https://www.migranttales.net/media-coverage-of-the-women-or Work: Govt’s Plans to Combat Immigrant Crime”, Yle and-children-refugees-of-the-al-hol-camp-is-a-low-in-finnish-journalism/,News, (Access date: 29 December 2019). https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/faster_asylum_process_civics_test_proof_of_study_or_work_govts_plans_to_c 32. “Käräjäoikeusombat_immigrant_crime/10655505 antoi viimeiset tuomiot, 20 February Oulun 2019, seksuaalirikosjutussa (Access date: 29 December – kaikki 2019). kahdeksan syytettyä vankeuteen, pisin tuomio35 Enrique 4,5 Tessieri,vuotta”, “City Ilta-Sanomat, of Oulu’s ‘Ban’ 12 on July Asylum 2019, Seekers https://www.is.fi/oulun-seutu/art-2000006171458.html, Visiting Day-Care Center and Schools May Be (Access date:Unconstitutional. 25 January 2020).‘Ban’ to Be Lifted on April 14”, Migrant Tales, 5 March 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/faster_asylum_process_civics_test_proof_of_study_or_work_govts_plans_to_c 33. Sami ombat_immigrant_crime/10655505Silanpää, “11 naista ja heidän, (Access lapsensa”, date: 29Helsingin December Sanomat,2019). 13 December 2019, https://www.hs.fi/sun- nuntai/art-2000006341623.html, (Access date: 29 December 2019).

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ment politicians who demanded asylum seekers be given tests on Finnish values, the loss of citizenship if convicted of a serious crime,34 and brought about recommen- dations by city officials to momentarily ban asylum seekers from visiting day care centers and elementary schools.35

FigureFigure 33:: Helsingin Sanomat Sanomat’s's3636 staff staff celebrating the daily'sdaily’s 130th130th anniversaryanniversary in NovemberNovember 20192019.. DoDo youyou seesee anyany minorities?minorities? Only one person in the picture has a so-calledso-called foreign-soundingforeign-sounding name. With aboutabout 16% ofof Helsinki’s Helsinki's populationpopulation speakingspeaking another languagelanguage otherother thanthan Finnish, Finnish, Swedish Swedish and and Sami, Sami Muslims, Muslims and minorities and minorities are are underrepresentedunderrepresented in in the the newsroom. newsroom.37 37

Justice System Justice System JuhoJuho Sipilä’s Sipilä’s government government (2015 (2015-2019)-2019) aimed at aimed changing at lawschanging that would laws impact that migrantswould impactbut theymigrants never camebut theyinto forcenever due came to time into constraints force due and to be timecause constraintshis government and resigned because in his March.government resigned in March. In light of the Oulu sexual assault cases, former National Coalition Party Interior Minister Kai

Mykkänen34. “Faster Asylum stated thatProcess, on topCivics of Test,deportations, Proof of Study a person or Work: guilty Govt’s of a Plansserious to Combatcrime, like Immigrant gross sexual Crime”, Yle assault,News, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/faster_asylum_process_civics_test_proof_of_study_or_work_govts_plans_ could lose his citizenship.38 Mykkänen suggested that all asylum seekers who are 16 to_combat_immigrant_crime/10655505, 20 February 2019, (Access date: 29 December 2019). 35. Enrique Tessieri, “City of Oulu’s ‘Ban’ on Asylum Seekers Visiting Day-Care Center and Schools May Be Un- constitutional. ‘Ban’ to Be Lifted on April 14”, Migrant Tales, 5 March 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/fast- 36 er_asylum_process_civics_test_proof_of_study_or_work_govts_plans_to_combat_immigrant_crime/10655505, Miska Rantanen and Juhani Saarinen, “HS täyttää 130 vuotta ja teki lukijoilleen erikoislehden”, Helsingin Sanomat, 16 November 2019, https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000006308542.html, (Access date: 29 December (Access date: 29 December 2019). 2019). 3736 . Miska“Joka Rantanen kuudes and Juhanihelsinkiläinen Saarinen, “HS täyttääon 130ulkomaalaistaustainen”, vuotta ja teki lukijoilleen erikoislehden”,Helsingin Helsinginkaupunki, Sano - https://www.ulkomaalaistaustaisethelsingissa.fi/fi/nykytilannemat, 16 November 2019, https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000006308542.html,, (Access date: 29 December (Access 2019).date: 29 December 2019). 38 “Sisäministeri Mykkänen olisi valmis viemään kanalaisuuden törkeään seksuaalirikokseen syyllistyneeltä – myös37. “Joka Maahanmuuttovirastossa kuudes helsinkiläinen uskotaan, on ulkomaalaistaustainen”, että kovemmat rangaistukset Helsingin voisivat kaupunki, auttaa”, https://www.ulkomaalaistaustais Yle, 13 December 2018, https://yle.fi/uutiset/3ethelsingissa.fi/fi/nykytilanne,-10547528 (Access, (Access date: date: 29 8 DecemberJanuary 2020). 2019).

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In light of the Oulu sexual assault cases, former National Coalition Party In- terior Minister Kai Mykkänen stated that on top of deportations, a person guilty of a serious crime, like gross sexual assault, could lose his citizenship.38 Mykkänen suggested that all asylum seekers who are 16 years old and above must take a course on Finnish values and sign an agreement that they will abide by the law.39 Internet One of the biggest hate crime stories last year was the abrupt 59.2% fall in ethnic agitation cases in 2019 from the previous year due to a drop in police funding.40 Måns Enqvist of the National Board of Police of Finland said that there are at most 10 police officers monitoring online hate speech.41 According to the justice ministry, ethnic agitation cases that were taken to court in 2018 numbered 31, up 138.5% from 13 in the previous year. The corresponding figures for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 4, 3, 1, and 5, respectively.42 Even if the number of ethnic agitation cases fell sharply, they are only the tip of the iceberg. Concern about hate speech was brought up by President Sauli Niinistö in his New Year’s speech. He stated, “Online shaming and hate speech are new concepts in public debate. However, our legislator has been far-sighted. For example, incitement to ethnic hatred and offences against personal reputation, dignity or privacy of the individual are already criminalized by law. A person committing a crime against an- other person is liable to prosecution. This has no connection to freedom of speech, let alone its limitation.”43 Another challenge to growing online hate speech is the founding on 25 December of the Silakkaliike, or Baltic Herring Movement. Just like Italy’s Sardines Movement, its Finnish counterpart has no political affiliation and aims to be a “non-violent coun- terforce to populist, hate, and racist-provoking policies.”44 Despite its popularity, the

38. “Sisäministeri Mykkänen olisi valmis viemään kanalaisuuden törkeään seksuaalirikokseen syyllistyneeltä – myös Maahanmuuttovirastossa uskotaan, että kovemmat rangaistukset voisivat auttaa”, Yle, 13 December 2018, https:// yle.fi/uutiset/3-10547528, (Access date: 8 January 2020). 39. ”Mykkänen ehdottaa vastaanottokeskuksiin kokeita suomalaisen yhteiskunnan pelisäännöistä”, Yle/STT, 10 February 2019, (Access date: 8 January 2020). 40. Enrique Tessieri, “Does the Finnish Police Really Care about Online Hate Speech?” Migrant Tales, 18 January 2020, https://www.migranttales.net/does-the-finnish-police-really-care-about-online-hate-speech/, (Access date: 20 January 2020). 41. Enrique Tessieri, “Finland Should Have More Police Monitoring Hate Speech on the Internet, Not Less”, Migrant Tales, 31 August 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/finland-should-have-more-police-monitoring-hate- speech-on-the-internet-not-less/, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 42. ”Viharikokset käräjäoikeuksissa vuonna 2018”, Oikeusministeriö, https://api.hankeikkuna.fi/asiakirjat/80a- c0a59-5434-4983-b89e-e2ab0013ba21/f8cd2930-307a-4c79-9df3-d36defb38e91/MUISTIO_20190524105518. pdf, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 43. Sauli Ninistö, “President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö’s New Year’s Speech on 1 January 2020”, President of the Republic of Finland, 1 January 2020, https://www.presidentti.fi/en/speeches/president-of-the-republic-sauli-niinis- tos-new-years-speech-on-1-january-2020/, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 44. “Silakkaliike Official Website”, https://silakkaliike.fi/, (Access date: 12 March 2020).

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jury is still out on how successful it will be. ­­After two weeks of its founding (6 Janu- ary), it had over 24,000 followers on Facebook and over 13,700 on Twitter.45 Ilja Janitskin, the former editor of the online MV-lehti publication who was sentenced in 2018 Ilja Janitskin, the former editor of the online MV-lehti publication who was sen- tenced in 2018 toto aa 22-month 22-month prison prison term for term aggravated for aggravated defamation, ethnicdefamation, agita- ethnic agitation, and copyright tion, and copyrightinfringement infringement,, and and orderordereded to to pay pay 136,000 136,000 euros euros in damages in damages to his to his victims, was unsuccessful in victims, was unsuccessful in getting the court to reverse the convictions he received last 46 year.46 New chargesgetting were thebrought court against to reverse Janitskin the by convictions Hanna Huumonen, he received who was last year. New charges were brought attacked by socialagainst media mobsJanitskin for campaigning by Hanna successfully Huumonen, in 2016 forwho advertisers was attackedto by social media mobs for stop placing ads in MV-lehti.47 Janitskin died of cancer on 7 February 2020.48 campaigning successfully in 2016 for advertisers to stop placing ads in MV-lehti.47

Figure 4: Sira Moksi is a prolific anti-racism cartoonist. The cartoon was removed by Silakkaliike’s Facebook page.49 In the cartoon, there is a Baltic herring fishing Finns Party leader Jussi Halla-aho.50 Figure 4: Sira Moksi is a prolific anti-racism cartoonist. The cartoon was removed by Silakkaliike’s Facebook page.48 In the cartoon, there is a Baltic herring fishing Finns Party leader Jussi Halla-aho.49 45. Silakkaliike, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/Silakkaliike/ and Silakkaliike, Twitter, https://twitter. com/silakkaliike, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 46. “Court Hears Anti-immigrant Agitator Janitskin’s Appeal,” Yle News, 14 October 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/ osasto/news/court_hears_anti-immigrant_agitator_janitskins_appeal/11018971,Central Figures in the Islamophobia (Access date: 20 January Network 2020). 47. Enrique Tessieri, “The MV-lehti Case Should Be Made into an Important Watershed against Hate Speech”, Migrant Tales, 14 OctoberThe 2019, good https://www.migranttales.net/the-mv-lehti-case-should-be-made-into-an-import showing of the Finns Party in the April parliamentary- elections and its lead in opinion ant-watershed-against-hate-speech/, (Access date: 20 January 2020). 48. “Iltalehti: Anti-immigrantpolls agitatorhave diesemboldened aged 42,” Yle News, the 7 February far-right 2020, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/party and forced opposition mainstream parties like the iltalehti_anti-immigrant_agitator_dies_aged_42/11198014, (Access date: 1 June 2020). 49. Silakat, Facebook,National https://www.facebook.com/Silakkaliike/, Coalition Party ( (AccessKookomus date: 19 February) and 2020).Christian Democrats to flirt with the PS. In many 50. “AJAN KUVIA–poliittisia piirroksia”, Facebook, 30 December 2019, https://www.facebook.com/AJAN- KUVIA-poliittisia-piirroksia-431508767274763/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBthxiGnH8b44hVzzuZkHy5cTd- JTQlOwvt9QXZ3wrRKOXffqnX2DV43lVqfAW_jxh4skGyLjPtNhVykTCUP-ObI8HfEu3paSVPJBxm- wiSiwdwZyOeAqx7r3XoML9CUpe40obhQNl6aTeGMaEJKkcA7Qgo8y2Rj_OcdYf4qqc_pDWZP9NqA - uDbx0SAFqAJOIrMlRk1zFr8-i_SjEvdDboYVbLJ2OedA-8mGxi-3sY25ns6WAKZebsoofe7WdhRVo8ix46 “Court Hears Anti-immigrant Agitator Janitskin’s Appeal,”- Yle News, 14 October 2019, O2yYNErgxGQ3GPQBR_Tt7lYvlUCs1agtAt8TA-IFC17qH79GYkFk46Iz8IX1Rdw9O4U_4aGgwECKhttps://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/court_hears_anti-immigrant_agitator_janitskins_appeal/11018971- , (Access S92i1ke4, (Access date:date: 4 February 20 Ja 2020).nuary 2020). 47 Enrique Tessieri, “The MV-lehti Case Should Be Made into an Important Watershed against Hate Speech”, Migrant Tales, 14 October 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/the-mv-lehti-case-should-be-made-into-an- 276 important-watershed-against-hate-speech/, (Access date: 20 Januarysetav.org 2020). 48 Silakat, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Silakkaliike/, (Access date: 19 February 2020). 49 “AJAN KUVIA–poliittisia piirroksia”, Facebook, 30 December 2019, https://www.facebook.com/AJAN- KUVIA-poliittisia-piirroksia- 431508767274763/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBthxiGnH8b44hVzzuZkHy5cTdJTQlOwvt9QXZ3wrRKOXffqnX2DV4 3lVqfAW_jxh4skGyLjPtNhVykTCUP- ObI8HfEu3paSVPJBxmwiSiwdwZyOeAqx7r3XoML9CUpe40obhQNl6aTeGMaEJKkcA7Qgo8y2Rj_OcdYf4q qc_pDWZP9NqAuDbx0SAFqAJOIrMlRk1zFr8-i_SjEvdDboYVbLJ2OedA-8mGxi- 3sY25ns6WAKZebsoofe7WdhRVo8ixO2yYNErgxGQ3GPQBR_Tt7lYvlUCs1agtAt8TA- IFC17qH79GYkFk46Iz8IX1Rdw9O4U_4aGgwECKS92i1ke4, (Access date: 4 February 2020). ISLAMOPHOBIA IN fınland

Central Figures in the Islamophobia Network The good showing of the Finns Party in the April parliamentary elections and its lead in opinion polls have emboldened the far-right party and forced opposition mainstream parties like the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) and Christian Democrats to flirt with the PS. In many respects, Finland’s Islamophobia network is a cut-and-paste job of other similar-minded parties across the EU and using the same racist soundbites like “Vote Finland Back,” and “harmful” and “uncontrolled immigration.”51 Some “notable” PS Islamophobes in 2019 were Jussi Halla-aho, Riikka Purra, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Ville Tavio, , Juha Mäenpää, Ano Turtiainen, Jari Ronkainen, Matias Turkkila, Mauri Peltokangas, Sanna Anti- kainen, and a long list of others like Asseri Kinnunen and Johannes Sipola of PS Youth. Among the other parties: Kokoomus’s Wille Rydman, Atte Kaleva, and Kai Mykkänen; Christian Democrats’ Sarah Essayah and Päivi Räsänen; and in far-right groups such as Finland First Marco de Witt, Junnes Lokka, and Tiina Wiik. Katie Hopkins, who was interviewed by the Finns Party and invited by Islamophobes like Lokka and Wiik, visited Oulu in January to “help” the municipality and police con- cerning the sexual assault cases that took place there.52 The mayor of Oulu turned down a meeting with Hopkins. Observed Civil Society and Political Initiatives to Counter Islamophobia The track record of combating Islamophobia and other forms of racism is mixed. The creation of a police group to monitor hate crime on the Internet was created in 2017 but suffered in the 2019 budget cuts, which led to a sharp drop in ethnic agitation cases brought to the attention of the public prosecutor. As a Nordic wel- fare state, Finland has good laws and programs, which if applied rigorously, would effectively challenge Islamophobia. In many respects, anti-Islamophobia initiatives hinge on political and civil will as well as leadership. This means that society must come to terms with its Muslim minority and stop seeing them as “good” (Tatars) and “bad” (Muslims). Tatars are an 800 to 900-strong Muslim community who emigrated to Finland at the end of the 19th century. Social Democratic Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government has stated in the government program53 its willingness to uphold human rights and abide by international agreements that

51. “Vote Finland Back”, The Finns Party’s Election Program 2019, https://www.perussuomalaiset.fi/wp-content/ uploads/2019/06/Eduskuntavaaliohjelma-2019_SU_In_English_1.pdf, (Access date: 20 January 2020). 52. “Factsheet: Katie Hopkins”, Bridge Initiative Team, 7 August 2018, https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/fact- sheet-katie-hopkins/, (Access date: 21 February 2020). 53. “Inclusive and Competent Finland – a Socially, Economically and Ecologically Sustainable Society”, Finnish Gov- ernment, 2019, http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/161935/VN_2019_33.pdf?sequence=1 &isAllowed=y, (Access date: 20 January 2020).

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protect refugees. When comparing the previous government’s program,54 terms like inclusion, asylum seekers, and racism appear in Marin’s government program more often than in Sipilä’s. In the face of hate speech, which impacts white Finns as well, it appears that Finland is slowly waking up with President Sauli Niinistö expressing concern about such social ills in his New Year’s speech. While such leadership is crucial in the struggle against Islamophobia, the jury is still out on how effective it will be. Conclusion and Policy Recommendations Finland’s Muslim community continues to believe that direct contact and open di- alogue are crucial to challenging Islamophobia and fostering a more harmonious society that respects difference. Strong leadership is needed from all walks of public life, especially from the Muslim and migrant communities. Such efforts, however, face an uphill battle considering that Islamophobia is presently politically in vogue and exploited by parties like the Finns Party. Building and coexisting in a culturally diverse society is not easy but requires effective solutions like the enforcement of laws that discourage discrimination and hate speech. This long journey towards a better functioning, culturally diverse society will not materialize in a year, four years, or a decade, but will take generations. It is, however, important that we begin this journey for the sake of our children, grand- children, and great-grandchildren. Chronology • 31.01.2019: In the face of political pressure and parental concerns due to the highly politicized sexual assault cases of Oulu, the city tem- porarily banned asylum seekers and refugees from visiting day care centers and schools.55 According to Mika Penttilä, the city’s director of education and culture, the ban would be lifted on 14 April, or after parliamentary elections. “This is not a ban,” he said, “but a recom- mendation that asylum seekers should not be allowed to visit day care centers and schools.”56 • 22.02.2019: “We want to prohibit the use of clothing that degrades wom- en like the burqa, niqab veils (sic) as well as veils used by little girls. Forced

54. “Finland, a Land of Solutions”, Strategic Programme of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s Government, 29 May 2015, https://valtioneuvosto.fi/documents/10184/1427398/Ratkaisujen+Suomi_EN_YHDISTETTY_netti.pd- f/8d2e1a66-e24a-4073-8303-ee3127fbfcac/Ratkaisujen+Suomi_EN_YHDISTETTY_netti.pdf, (Access date: 21 January 2020). 55. “Oulu Bans Asylum Seeker Visits to Schools”, Yle News, 31 January 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/ oulu_bans_asylum_seeker_visits_to_schools/10623356, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 56. Enrique Tessieri, “City of Oulu’s ‘Ban’ on Asylum Seekers Visiting Day-Care Centers and Schools”.

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marriages, genital mutilation, and sending children [abroad] to be indoc- trinated by Islam should be effectively punished”, according to PS First Vice-President Riikka Purra.57 • 16.03.2019: “The New Zealand case shows ever-convincingly that mul- ticultural society does not work,” said Finns Party Youth leader, Johannes Sipola, tweeting right after the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque shootings. “When other people [of other backgrounds] rape and kill enough [people], it is only a question of time when there will be a reac- tion from the opposite side.”58 • 26.03.2019: Finns Party MP Ville Tavio said that closing down the Oulu Mosque should be considered in light of the sexual abuse case of a minor there. Imam Abdul Mannan of the Oulu Mosque denies that a child was sexually abused in the mosque.59 An appeal was sent to the supreme dis- trict court to overturn the district court’s decision, which found the suspect guilty of sexually abusing a minor. • 13.06.2019: Finns Party MP Juha Mäenpää linked asylum seekers to an “invasive species” that should be repelled. The state prosecutor announced in January that Mäenpää would be charged for ethnic agitation but needed the approval of parliament. The Finns Party have enough votes to block the request that would remove the MP’s immunity.60 • 17.07.2019: Finnish Party chairperson Jussi Halla-aho on being a white Finn: “I think we all have a relatively cohesive, intuitive understanding of whether or not someone walking towards us is a Finn. And this question is much more complicated than what’s that someone’s skin color or family background. We can’t even start by saying that everyone who was born in Finland is part of this group.” 61 • 04.09.2019: The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman recommended that all public swimming pool halls in Finland must permit the use of the bur- kini. The Ombudsman stated that public pool halls should build separate

57. Riikka Purra, Twitter, 22 February 2019, https://twitter.com/ir_rkp/status/1098920935732727808, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 58. Enrique Tessieri, “Twitter: Perussuomalaiset Youth Leader Condones Terrorist Attack in New Zealand”, Migrant Tales, 16 March 2019, https://www.migranttales.net/twitter-perussuomalaiset-youth-leader-condones-terrorist-at- tack-in-new-zealand/, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 59. “Kansanedustaja Tavio: Oulun moskeijan sulkemisa on harkittava”, Kaleva, 26 March 2019, https://www. kaleva.fi/uutiset/oulu/kansanedustaja-tavio-oulun-moskeijan-sulkemista-on-harkittava/817507/, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 60. “Prosecutor General Aims to Charge Finns Party MP for Incitement”, Yle News, 23 January 2020, https://yle. fi/uutiset/osasto/news/prosecutor_general_aims_to_charge_finns_party_mp_for_incitement/11172792, (Access date: 25 January 2020). 61. “Halla-aho: We All Have Intuitive Understanding of Whether Someone Is a Finn”, Helsinki Times, 17 July 2019, https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/16570-halla-aho-we-all-have-intuitive-understanding-of- whether-someone-is-a-finn.html, (Access date: 3 February 2020).

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showering quarters so that no group is discriminated. “Burkini bans can be discriminatory,” the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman stated.62 • 10-31.10.2019: Two Finns Party politicians were convicted for ethnic ag- itation for social media postings in 2016 and 2017. MP Sebastian Tynk- kynen was convicted for a second time of ethnic agitation for publishing on Facebook and Instagram racist and insulting posts about Islam.63 Finns Party Espoo city councilor, Teemu Lahtinen, was convicted for ethnic ag- itation and breaching the sanctity of religion for a tweet where he labelled Mohammed a pedophile and for denigrating Somalis.64 • 21.11.2019: “The right [of asylum seekers] to come to Finland and live off tax-payers’ money is not a human right,” said Finns Party chairperson, Jussi Halla-aho.65

62. “Yhdenvertaisuusvaltuutettu: burkinit tulisi sallia uimahalleisa”, Yhdenvertaisuusvaltuutettu (Non-Discrimi- nation Ombudsman), 4 September 2019, https://www.syrjinta.fi/-/yhdenvertaisuusvaltuutettu-burkinit-tulisi-sal- lia-uimahalleissa, (Access date: 6 January 2020). 63. “Perussuomlaisten Sebastian Tynkkyselle toinen tuomio kiihottamisesta kansanryhmää vastaan – Halla-aho: Nakertaa oikeuslaitoksen uskottavuutta,” Yle, 10 October 2019, https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11013740, (Access date: 8 January 2020). 64. Juho Jokinen, “Perussuomalaisten poliitikko rinnasti profeetta Muhammedin ja pedofilian, tuomio uskonrau- han rikkomisesta”, Helsingin Sanomat, 31 October 2019, https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000006291455.html, (Access date: 8 January 2020). 65. Perussuomalaiset, Twitter, 21 November 2019, https://twitter.com/persut/status/1197394532196847618/pho- to/1, (Access date: 21 November 2019).

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