Country

Finland

Detention issue

Nutrition

FRA research findings

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Legal instruments & key provisions

Legal instrument Key provision
Imprisonment Act (Vankeuslaki/Fängelselag) Prisoners should receive healthy and adequate nutrition. Catering for detainees/prisoners shall be arranged so that they receive healthy, well-rounded and adequate nutrition.

NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM RECOMMENDATIONS

Year Recommendation Report
2018In his decision on the complaint, the Deputy-Ombudsman recommended the police to compensate the complainants for the harm suffered by them due to the police’s serious neglect of its duty to arrange meals in the police prison by virtue of the Police Act. Four persons taken into custody by virtue of the Police Act were deprived of their liberty for 19 hours. They were served no food during this time (5304/2017). Report details
2019The Ombudsman has noted, for example, that catering for persons deprived of their liberty should be more tightly regulated in the reformed Act on the Treatment of Persons in Police Custody. The intervals between meals should not be too long, and food safety must be secured. Report details
2020NPM report notices that eating schedules vary considerably during week-days and weekends. In some situations, prisoners can be required to go without nourishment for an excessively long period of time Report details
2020The Ombudsman has stated that special attention should be paid to the diet and the meal rhythm in detention facilities, particularly if the health of the person deprived of their liberty requires it, such as persons with diabetes. The Ombudsman asked the Ministry of the Interior to assess whether the prevailing practice and the current provisions secure healthy, diverse and sufficient nutrition to persons deprived of their liberty in all situations Report details