Thousands of Vastaamo leak victims seek higher compensation Yle News Yle

pCurrent topicsppSeries Podcasts Live broadcastppLegal experts say that the Vastaamo victims are in a particularly vulnerable position as the crime targeted their mental health information and sensitive personal data about their loved ones ppTwo lawyers representing some victims of the massive Vastaamo psychotherapy centre data breach say their clients are dissatisfied with the compensation amounts announced by the State TreasuryppIn late August Treasury service director Tuomo Yliluoma estimated to Yle that Vastaamos victims will receive an average of 500â1500 euros in damages for attempted or aggravated extortionppThe unprecedented case involves over 22000 victims the highest number ever in a Finnish criminal caseppIn 2020 the convicted perpetrator Aleksanteri KivimÃki leaked highly sensitive information including transcripts of therapy sessions onto the dark web in an effort to extort money from the company and its customersppIn April the 26yearold was sentenced to six years in prison but will likely be released in less than two years He is appealing the sentenceppPaula Pajula and Jenni Raiskio of Vastaamonuhrit Vastaamo Victims are representing around 3500 victims on a pro bono basisppThey argue that in Vastaamos case compensations based on standard rates are not enough to make up for the suffering experienced by the victims They emphasise that the Treasury has never dealt with a case like Vastaamo beforeppRaiskio who represents about 1500 victims said last spring that some victims had committed suicide and others had considered doing so due to the leak of their patient recordsppRaiskio and Pajula have sent the Treasury a statement on the subject by two legal scholars Juha Karhu professor emeritus of law at the University of Lapland and Mika Viljanen professor of law at the University of Turku They said there are strong grounds for paying higher than the standard compensation rates in this caseppThe professors note that the Vastaamo victims are in a particularly vulnerable position and the crime targeted their mental health information and likely also sensitive personal data about their loved ones They also see the publicity received by the story as exceptional which according to them worsens and prolongs the trauma experienced by the victimsppThe attorneys point to a decision by the Helsinki Court of Appeal last summer which ordered Vastaamo to pay 7000 euros in damages to one of the data breach victimsppThe court declared that the regular compensation guidelines or previous Supreme Court decisions could not be directly used as a model for assessing compensation because the breach had targeted a particularly confidential treatment relationship and patient privacy and had caused significant suffering to the victimppIt is still possible to claim compensation until KivimÃkis sentence is confirmed after his appeal which will not take place until the spring of 2026 at the earliest according to VastaamonuhritppThe State Treasury is to begin processing the first compensation applications soonppThe work stoppage could have a significant impact on flights throughout Monday afternoon and evening Finnair has warnedppFinns Party MPs Teemu Keskisarja and Sheikki Laakso have announced plans to join the 612 torchlight procession on Independence Day instead of attending the Presidential Palace galappThere is no official booking for the far right event which is why Helsinkis municipal lawyers say it cannot be blocked in advancep