Since 2019, Finland has repatriated six women and around 20 children from northeastern Syria, including two orphans. Some Finnish nationals linked to the Islamic State organization have managed to cross into Turkey. Half a dozen women and a dozen children are still in the Syrian camps of Al-Hol and Roj. Charged in December 2019 by the government of the social democrat Sanna Marin to manage their repatriations, diplomat Jussi Tanner pleads for the return of all children and their mothers.
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What is Finland’s position?
The Finnish Constitution requires that the fundamental rights of children be guaranteed to the extent possible. At the end of 2019, the Chancellor of Justice considered that by virtue of this constitutional obligation and the laws of the land, we had to repatriate the children. My government has appointed me to carry out this task. When we weren’t able to bring them back, we tried to improve their living conditions there. But my position is that we have to get them out of there.
What about their mothers?
Until now, we cannot repatriate the children without them. First, in the majority of cases, it is impossible in fact: the authorities on the spot refuse to separate the children from their mother. Some people object that France is doing it. In certain very exceptional conditions, indeed, it is possible, with the agreement of the mother. But as far as Finnish children are concerned, this is not, for the vast majority of them, a solution.
On the other hand, while social services in Finland can withdraw custody of their children from parents, asking a non-state armed group to do so puts us on dangerous ground, legally. Under these conditions, and because children’s rights prevail, mothers can follow them.
Don’t they represent a security risk?
When the government appointed me, it also required me to consider each case from a national security perspective. The relevant agencies must provide me with the information they have. With my team, we are looking at the risks. They must be concrete, consistent and well documented because if the mother does not come back, neither do the children. So far, we have not been able to establish that these risks are significant enough to override children’s rights.
Are these women tried on their return?
My work stops at the airport. I don’t know the details. And it doesn’t matter to my mission. Finnish legislation has been criticized for not being tough enough with jihadists: traveling with the intention of joining a terrorist organization has only been banned since 2016. All of these women have left before. And the law cannot be applied retroactively. On the other hand, they can be condemned for something else. But we cannot leave the children in the camps, only because their mothers may not be able to be tried in Finland.
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