In January, the Helsinki District Court granted a one-year restraining order against a man following a series of unsettling incidents involving former Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The development comes as a prosecutor has filed charges against the 36-year-old suspect for stalking and disturbing the peace. The charges stem from multiple reports last year of the man allegedly following Marin and trying to make contact with her.
In December, the court heard that the suspect was seen loitering in the stairwell of Marin’s residence. On Christmas Eve, he attempted to access her apartment, a tense episode that persisted for around ten minutes and was captured on video.
According to court records, the man was observed ringing the doorbell, knocking, and trying to open the door and mail slot. Disturbingly, he also spoke through the door and even kissed the peephole.
Police apprehended the man in the stairwell, where he reportedly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he had been drawn to the area by an interest in local architecture.
Marin testified that she first encountered the suspect in November 2024 when he chased her while yelling. Alarmed by the escalating situation, she sought a restraining order in December, leading the court to impose the one-year restriction on January 17.
Under Finnish law, such an extended restraining order bars the individual from approaching or being near designated areas, including the protected person’s home, workplace, and other relevant locations.