Govt intends to revise int´l deals concerning immigrants

The government wants to find out whether immigration issues could be handled better, if some current international agreements were altered.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä said in parliament on Friday that the idea is to find out whether Finnish interpretations have been correct.

The government did not specify which international agreements it is going to look into or how they will further the pursuit, according to media reports.

Finland is also trying to ease the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers, particularly to Iraq. It said in a statement on Friday it will talk with the EU commission and countries in comparable situations.

Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen told media in parliament on Friday the rights of rejected asylum seekers are one of the issues Finland wants to review.

He underlined that Finland is not disengaging from international agreements on human rights, but looks for new interpretations.

Friday's decisions followed a week of political turmoil in regards to wide national attention to sexual crimes against minor aged victims allegedly done by people with refugee background in the northern city of Oulu.

On Tuesday all parliamentary groups agreed in a rare joint appearance to tighten punishments for child abuse and ease the cancelation of Finnish citizenship of a dual national.

Local commentators have noted that, besides moral condemnation, the strong political reaction also reflects the fear of a victory for the anti-immigrant Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) in the April general election.

News about the latest sexual crimes in Oulu was preceded by a poll that indicated an increase in the support of the Perussuomalaiset.

Media have also questioned the conduct of the Oulu police on the issue. While over eighty cases of alleged sexual abuse of children by ethnic Finns had been investigated in Oulu last year, the police gave publicity to 16 cases where the suspects were people who had arrived in Finland as refugees or asylum seekers.

Commentators noted that police investigations are primarily confidential and do not get publicity. Investigators in charge can release information within the scope that privacy laws permit. In this case, the Oulu police have been selective in their publicity.