HS Turku | Cosmologist Syksy Räsänen’s charges began in Turku – He will be able to speak on Wednesday

A cosmologist Fall from Räsä accused of gross defamation and gross dissemination of information that violates private life. In addition to Räsänen, his foreign colleague is also indicted.

The matter is related to an American astrophysicist By Christian Ott for hiring at the University of Turku in the beginning of 2018 and for the quick cancellation of the hiring.

The case has been written about in the public domain before. Räsänen has told of his status as an accused himself in public.

The main hearing of the case started today, Tuesday, in the district court of Varsinais-Suomen. HS followed the start of the trial at the Turku courthouse. The preparatory session in the case started already in May, when the charges became public.

Räsänen, who arrived at the courthouse in the morning, did not want to comment anything other than that he denies the charges.

The trial started about an hour late due to technical problems. A group of high school students was watching the beginning of the session. In the morning, the court went through, among other things, scheduling issues, legal details and the confidentiality requirement related to some evidence, which was rejected by the district court.

Read more: Was reporting a case of harassment a crime? The prosecution of cosmologist Syksy Räsänen began in the district court

Read more: Cosmologist Syksy Räsänen charged with gross defamation

District Attorney demands substantial fines or conditional imprisonment for Räsänen and the other accused. In addition, astrophysicist Ott, who is the interested party, demands one hundred thousand euros in damages from the defendants.

Räsänen and his colleague have denied the charges.

The lawsuit is related to the case in which Ott was hired at the University of Turku in early 2018. However, the university reversed Ott’s hiring decision after 19 astronomers and astrophysicists had sent a letter to the university management about the matter. In the letter, the researchers expressed their concerns about hiring Ott.

Ott had resigned from the California Institute of Technology, Caltech, in 2016 after he was accused of sexually harassing two female students.

According to the district attorney, Räsänen and the other defendant spread information that Ott was guilty of sexual harassment or sexual harassment, even though Caltech’s report did not mention such activity, and Ott has never been accused or convicted of a crime.

Räsänen has denied that he at least intentionally published information that was not correct or that he could not have considered correct. Picture: Linda Laine / HS

According to the prosecutor, the “spreading of false information and insinuations” by Räsänen and the other defendant caused the University of Turku to terminate Otti’s employment. According to the prosecutor, the defendants published claims on social media and in a press release, among other things.

Räsänen has denied that he at least intentionally published information that was not correct or that he could not have considered correct. He says that the information and opinions he published were based on “previously reported, reliable news sources”.

According to the defendants, the allegations they presented were not related to Otti’s private life, but to his activities in a public position in his profession. In addition, the defendants point out that they have not claimed that Otti committed a crime.

About the incident a decision not to prosecute was previously made, but the National Prosecutor’s Office ended up reopening the investigation after the other side appealed against the previous decision.

Ott has also gone to court against the University of Turku. The District Court of Varsinais-Suomen ordered the university to pay Otti An amount equivalent to 20 months’ salary at the beginning of the year.