A crowd hold banners in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla at the arrivals area of Athens International Airport on October 6, 2025, as they await the return of activists who were sailing aboard vessels from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla, after Israel stopped the flotilla and detained hundreds of people. Photo: Aris Messinis / AFP / Lehtikuva
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Five Finnish citizens detained during an Israeli military operation against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have returned to Europe and are expected to arrive in Finland on Tuesday, according to the Global Movement to Gaza.
The group confirmed to Helsingin Sanomat that the detained Finns were among the 161 people flown to Athens after being held in Israeli custody. The convoy of ships, which set sail in an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, was intercepted last week in international waters. Israeli authorities detained over 400 people from various nationalities, including the five Finns.
The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs said the individuals left Israel on Monday aboard a coordinated repatriation flight. Hanna Lepistö, head of the Ministry’s consular affairs unit, said, “They are free to arrange their own onward travel.”
Jussi Tanner, Finland’s Consul General in Tel Aviv, confirmed that, according to the Ministry’s latest understanding, all detained Finnish citizens have now left Israeli territory.
The Global Movement to Gaza welcomed the return of the detained Finns but issued a statement criticising Finland’s top leadership for what it called a lack of political engagement during and after the detentions. “We remain deeply concerned by the absence of clear political leadership from Finland’s highest levels in response to this crisis,” the organisation said.
The statement outlined multiple allegations of mistreatment of detainees by Israeli authorities. These include physical and psychological abuse, denial of food and medication, religious rights violations, and humiliation.
The Global Movement to Gaza said these testimonies were consistent across multiple countries and have been corroborated by human rights groups including Adalah.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated last week that he was “proud” of the treatment of the detainees. He added, “Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists.”
Despite these reports, Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has not confirmed the mistreatment. Tanner said the Ministry has “no direct information about the veracity” of the claims and is “waiting to see if the claims can be verified.”
The activist group rejected this position, saying the testimonies represent a pattern of systematic abuse and should not be dismissed as unverified.
In its statement, the group criticised Finnish political leaders for avoiding explicit terminology. It noted that President Alexander Stubb and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen have made what it called vague statements over the past year without acknowledging the scale of events in Gaza.
In previous months, Stubb described the situation in Gaza as “immense suffering” and referred to the blockade as a “man-made famine,” while Valtonen urged Israel to respect international law and refrain from attacking Rafah. Neither has publicly addressed the latest detentions.
The group compared the current silence with Finland’s political response during the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, when Stubb, then Foreign Minister, issued a direct condemnation of Israel’s actions against Finnish citizens.
It demanded the Finnish government issue political statements condemning the interception of the flotilla and the treatment of detainees, recognise Palestine, and impose sanctions on Israel.
The organisation stated that the flotilla was intercepted 40 to 70 nautical miles from the coast, outside Israeli jurisdiction under international maritime law. It called this a violation of freedom of navigation and international law.
It also referred to reports by Amnesty International and the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry which concluded that Israel’s military actions in Gaza amount to genocide. The International Court of Justice is examining charges, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
The Global Movement to Gaza called on Finland to suspend military, trade, and academic cooperation with Israel and to launch an independent investigation into the treatment of Finnish detainees. This, the group said, should include medical examinations and the collection of testimonies.
It further urged the summoning of the Israeli Ambassador to Finland and immediate recognition of the State of Palestine.
The activist convoy included participants from Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Italy, the United States, and Malaysia. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among those detained. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenegard said the reports of mistreatment were “very serious” and warranted investigation.
The Global Movement to Gaza stated that consular support is not enough. It said Finland has legal obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Helsinki Accords and must act accordingly.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
