Published 

5.11.2024

On 7 January 2022, an inspection of the detention facilities on board M/S Baltic Princess was conducted on the order of Parliamentary Ombudsman Petri Jääskeläinen. In connection with the inspection, it was observed that in two cases, male security stewards had ordered the detained women to remove all their clothes. Undressing was due to the self-destructive behaviour of these women, for which the women had used their clothing. The Ombudsman decided to investigate the treatment of the women on his own initiative.

In his decision, the Ombudsman states that the actions taken by the security stewards when ordering the women to remove their clothes did not fully implement the detained women’s right to dignified treatment. They had been ordered to remove all their clothes in the detention room without having been provided with clothing suitable for the situation. At least one of the two women had had to be completely naked and without a blanket for a moment. In addition, the security wardens that ordered the women to remove their clothes were male, although according to a decree by the Ministry of the Interior, the security officer conducting a security check must be of the same sex as the person being checked if the person subject to the check has to remove clothing other than outdoor clothes for the purposes of the check.

The Ombudsman considers it obvious that such treatment may be found extremely humiliating and degrading. However, the Ombudsman considers the actions of the security stewards understandable from the point of view that they had to act in situations that were difficult and largely similar to the necessity referred to in the Criminal Code. There were no female security wardens on board and the inadequate facilities for situations like this on the ship imposed restrictions of their own to the available practices.

The Ombudsman considers that it is ultimately the responsibility of the shipping company to ensure preparedness for different exceptional and dangerous situations as well as possible and, for example, make sure that there are safe clothes and bedclothes intended for self-destructive persons in the detention facility. The company is also responsible for not having made female security wardens available.

The Ombudsman has informed Tallink Silja Oy of his opinion and requested that the company also inform all security wardens in the company of the decision and ensure that the decision will be taken into account in their future actions. The Ombudsman has requested that the company notify him by 31 January 2025 what measures it has taken as a result of the decision. 

Decision no 1431/2023 has been published (in Finnish) on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.oikeusasiamies.fi

Further information is available from Senior Legal Adviser Peter Fagerholm, tel. +358 9 432 3372.