Finland

The Penal Code of Finland

Chapter 4 – Grounds for exemption from liability

Section 4 – Self-defence

(1) An act that is necessary to defend against an ongoing or imminent unlawful attack is lawful as self-defence, unless the act manifestly exceeds what in an overall assessment is to be deemed justifiable, taking into account the nature and strength of the attack, the identity of the defender and the attacker and the other circumstances.

(2) However, if the defence exceeds the limits of self-defence (excessive self-defence), the perpetrator is exempt from criminal liability if the circumstances were such that the perpetrator could not reasonably have been expected to have acted otherwise, taking into account the dangerousness and sudden nature of the attack and the situation also otherwise.

Keywords

Self-defence - national proceedings



EDIT.