Your rights and obligations in Finland
Rights
- Everyone has the right to equal treatment. No one must be treated differently based on gender, age, religion or handicap, for example.
- Everyone has the right to freely express their opinions verbally or in writing.
- People are allowed to hold meetings and demonstrations and participate in them. No permission from the authorities is needed to hold a demonstration. However, the police must be notified in advance.
- No one can be sentenced to death or tortured.
- All people can choose their place of residence and freely travel within the country.
- Everyone has a right to the protection of their privacy. No one is allowed to read another person’s letters or listen to someone else’s phone calls.
- Everyone is free to choose their own religion. Should you not want to, you do not need to choose any religion.
Even if you are not a Finnish citizen, you may have the right to vote in some elections.
Read more about foreigners’ voting rights in Finland on the InfoFinland web page Elections and voting in Finland.
Obligations
- All persons living or residing in Finland must adhere to Finnish legislation.
- People between the ages of approximately 7 and 18 have compulsory education.
- Often, those working in Finland must pay taxes to Finland from their salary.
- Everyone is obligated to testify in court should they be summoned to do so.
- Parents have the responsibility to take care of their children.
- Everyone is obliged to lend their aid in the event of an accident.
Read more on taxation in Finland on the InfoFinland web page Taxation.
The rights and obligations of Finnish citizens
In addition to these, Finnish citizens have a number of rights and obligations that do not apply to foreigners living in Finland.
Read more on the rights and obligations of Finnish citizens on the InfoFinland web page The rights and obligations of Finnish citizens.
The police safeguard rights and order
In Finland, the authorities ensure that people’s rights are exercised and that everyone follows he law. The police are responsible for maintaining order and security, preventing crimes and investigating them. The police also help people in emergencies.
If you need police assistance quickly, call the emergency number 112. Only call the emergency number in case of emergencies where life, health, property or the environment is in danger.
Do you know what to do in an emergency? Read instructions for emergencies on the InfoFinland page Emergencies.
Reporting a criminal offence
You can report an offence to the police if you suspect that there has been a crime. A crime can be reported to the police anywhere, regardless of where it took place. How to report a crime:
- an electronic police report form between 06.00 and 22.45, or
- at the police station when it is open.
More report information about reporting an offence is available on the website of the police.