According to the regional daily Keskisuomalainen, as recently as five years ago, Finnish police invested in the procurement of large numbers of stun guns. However growing international pressure from human rights organisations is causing police authorities to reconsider their use.
Stun guns, the best-known brand of which is the Taser gun manufactured by the company of the same name, fire two small electrode darts which deliver an electric current and cause involuntary muscular spasms. It is generally considered to be a safe non-lethal means for law enforcement officers to subdue offenders or suspects.
However the United Nations anti-torture committee declared the device a form of torture because of the extreme pain and even occasional death it causes. The global human rights NGO Amnesty International has also raised red flags about its use by police - particularly when suspects are already in custody.
Police reviewing international experiences
”The use of stun guns has come under close scrutiny worldwide. Since it’s such a sensitive matter, we will probably continue to gather use cases and user experiences,” police inspector Ari Alanen of the Police Board said in an interview with the daily.
Stun guns can deliver an electric charge carrying 50,000 volts to the target and is used by police in use-of-force situations, or in cases where an individual does not comply with a verbal order or other non-lethal methods.
The device has featured in controversial cases: some years ago Finland came in for heavy censure from Amnesty International when a 30 year-old man with a cardiac disorder died in prison after police repeatedly used stun guns on him. A 14 year-old boy was also reportedly injured by the device.
In Finland only police officers can legally possess and use tasers.