Ombudsman: Interior Ministry aimed to prevent Muslim refugees coming to Finland 'The government has seriously undermined the rights of asylum seekers and immigrants through several legislative changes,' the non-discrimination ombudsman's office stated.

March 6, 2025   

(Yle) Finland’s Interior Ministry acted in a discriminatory manner as it prepared the country’s quota refugee plan for 2025, according to a report by the non-discrimination ombudsman’s office.

The office found that the ministry favoured asylum seekers from Christian-majority countries when it provided instructions to officials working on quota refugee policy.

“The discriminatory instructions were meant to prevent refugees from Muslim-majority countries from coming to Finland,” the ombudsman’s report noted.

“It can be said that this instruction was intended to prevent Muslim refugees from Afghanistan and Syria from coming to Finland,” Non-Discrimination Ombudsman Kristina Stenman told Yle.

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