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Biolaw and the intimate

The Burials Act

Interments are governed by a separate statute, prepared at the same time as the Freedom of Religion Act (2003). The purpose of the Burials Act is to promote the realisation of freedom of (...)

Interments are governed by a separate statute, prepared at the same time as the Freedom of Religion Act (2003). The purpose of the Burials Act is to promote the realisation of freedom of religion and conscience in interment, and to ensure that due respect is paid to the memory of the deceased. The main consideration in the Act is to ensure dignity and respect in the handling of the body and ashes and in the maintenance of the cemetery.

Under the Burials Act, the Evangelical Lutheran graveyards will continue to serve as general cemeteries where non-members are also entitled to have a resting place. A grave site must be made available on request to non-members in a separate non-denominational area. Under the new Burials Act, the fees charged for burials must be calculated according to the same principles. Most of the over 1,100 cemeteries in Finland belong to the Lutheran Church. There are Orthodox cemeteries as well, mainly in the eastern parts of Finland. Muslim cemeteries are few but their number is increasing; Jewish cemetery exists in Helsinki.

Updated by Tommi Heino

D 25 May 2017    AKimmo Kääriäinen

Circumcision, slaughter, clothing

Female circumcision is strictly prohibited in Finland, while male circumcision is debated. In 2015 the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health issued a guideline which stated that a non-medical (...)

Female circumcision is strictly prohibited in Finland, while male circumcision is debated. In 2015 the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health issued a guideline which stated that a non-medical circumcision may be done by a doctor in sterile conditions with pain relief. If a boy himself understands the surgery and its consequences it may not be done without his consent. However, the Supreme Court gave two decisions in 2016 concerning circumcision of boys. In the other case the guardian was found guilty of maltreatment, in the other case parents were acquitted of the charge. The Supreme Court decrees: “Circumcision of a boy with other than medical reasons, even when done medically correctly, meets the elements of maltreatment.” (KKO:2016:25) However, positive effects for a child can be found as well, such as belonging to a social community and building of one´s identity as a part of said community. Legal status of male circumcision is still unclear.

Religious slaughter according to the Jewish or Islamic practice is controlled. The animal must be stunned before slaughter and the whole procedure should be done in the four approved slaughter houses while a veterinarian from Finnish Food Safety Authority is present.

The use of traditional clothing, like the headscarf for Muslims or the Sikh turban, often leads to negotiations at a local level in work places. Such negotiations are normally solved through mutual agreement, and there is no specific law regulating the right to wear religious garments. Employer can restrict a person´s clothing - without it being discrimination – in specific cases for example judges, soldiers, police, surgeons etc. In most cases it is a question of work safety or of standing out from a crowd.

D 3 July 2017    ATommi Heino

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

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