MFA: Finland strongly condemns kidnap of Finnish national and related extortion

MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
http://formin.finland.fi/english

Press release 137/2017
16 August 2017

Finland strongly condemns kidnap of Finnish national and related extortion

A further video has appeared in social media concerning the Finnish national kidnapped in Kabul, Afghanistan in May. Finland strongly condemns the kidnapping and the related extortion and urges immediate release of the kidnapped Finnish national.

The videos uploaded to the internet are tools used in committing a crime. The Finnish authorities request that no videos or other material related to the abduction be released or shared. Publicity of any kind may place the kidnapped individual’s life in danger and hamper efforts to resolve the situation. The Finnish authorities are doing everything they can to secure her safe release. 

Details of the case are not being made public because of the ongoing efforts to resolve the situation and for reasons connected with the safety and privacy of the person concerned. This applies not only to names and events but also to the work of the authorities.

The family of the abducted Finnish national have asked that their privacy be respected. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki serves as the centre of communications on the matter.

Inquiries: Media Coordination, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. + 358 40 551 6571

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are of the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.