Chapter 16 - Offences against the public authorities

Section 1 - Violent resistance to a public official

(1) A person who

(1) employs or threatens violence so as to force a public official to perform or to refrain from performing an official act involving the exercise of public authority,
(2) otherwise employs or threatens violence against the public official because of the official act being carried out, or
(3) employs violence against a public official or a related person, as referred to in chapter 15, section 10, subsection 2, in revenge for the official act,
shall be sentenced for violent resistance to a public official to imprisonment for at least four months and at most four years.

(2) Also a person who behaves in the manner referred to in subsection 1 towards a person who, at the request or with the consent of a public official, assists the public official in an official duty involving the exercise of public authority shall be sentenced for violent resistance to a public official. (604/2002)

Section 2 - Resistance to a public official

If the violent resistance to a public official, taking into account the minor significance of the violence or threat or the other circumstances of the offence, is to be deemed committed under mitigating circumstances, when assessed as a whole, the offender shall be sentenced for resistance to a public official to a fine or to imprisonment for at most six months.

Section 3 - Obstruction of a public official

(1) A person who, without employing or threatening violence, prevents or attempts to prevent an official act, as referred to in section 1, or make it more difficult to carry out, shall be sentenced for obstruction of a public official to a fine.

(2) Also a person who behaves in the manner referred to in subsection 1 towards a person who, at the request or with the consent of a public official, assists the public official in an official duty involving the exercise of public authority shall be sentenced for obstruction of a public official. (604/2002)

Chapter 16 - Offences against the public authorities

Section 13 – Giving of bribes

(1) A person who promises, offers or gives to a public official in exchange for his or her actions in service a gift or other benefit intended for him or her or for another, that influences or is intended to influence or is conducive to influencing the actions in service of the public official, shall be sentenced for the giving of bribes to a fine or to imprisonment for at most two years.

(2) Also a person who, in exchange for the actions in service of a public official, promises, offers or gives the gift or benefit referred to in subsection 1 shall be sentenced for bribery.

Section 14 - Aggravated giving of bribes

If in the giving of bribes

(1) the gift or benefit is intended to make the person act in service contrary to his or her duties with the result of considerable benefit to the briber or to another person or of considerable loss or detriment to another person, or
(2) the value of the gift or benefit is considerable
and the bribery is aggravated also when assessed as whole, the offender shall be sentenced for aggravated giving of bribes to imprisonment for at least four months and at most four years.

Article 70
Offences against the administration of justice
1. The Court shall have jurisdiction over the following offences against its administration of justice when committed intentionally:
(d) Impeding, intimidating or corruptly influencing an official of the Court for the purpose of forcing or persuading the official not to perform, or to perform improperly, his or her duties