Finnish MP Wille Rydman (NCP) announced that he filed a complaint with Helsinki police on Monday about an article in newspaper Helsingin Sanomat concerning his alleged behaviour towards young women.
In a tweet, Rydman claimed that HS published a "deeply stigmatising" report, even though the publication's editors had been shown with ample evidence that the narrative it portrayed was not true.
The article featured claims by several women that Rydman used his political position to gain access to young women and girls. However, a preliminary investigation by police found no evidence of actions amounting to a crime.
Several women told HS that Rydman, now aged 36, plied them with drinks, at times serving alcohol to underage girls.
Following the story's publication, Rydman announced his indefinite resignation from the NCP's parliamentary group. The politician also temporarily resigned from his post as Helsinki City Council's First Deputy Chair.
About an hour after Rydman's tweet on Monday, Helsinki police confirmed that the department received a criminal complaint about an HS story published on the same day as the Rydman article.
HS editor stands by article
Helsingin Sanomat's editor-in-chief Antero Mukka commented to Yle last Friday on Rydman's criminal complaint.
Mukka said there was nothing new in Rydman's allegations of possible defamation that needed further comment.
"Our article was carefully researched, and the cases described in it are true. HS has strong grounds to trust the information it has gathered as well as the sources, who dared to open up about their experiences. The events described in the article are closely linked to Rydman's work in politics. The topic is significant to society," Mukka said in a statement via email.
This story was edited at 16:00 to add comments from Helsingin Sanomat's editor-in-chief Antero Mukka.