Osallinen

Osallinen is a Finnish term used primarily in legal and formal contexts to describe a person who participates in a crime or wrongful act, but who is not the primary offender. The word stems from the concept of osallisuus, meaning participation or involvement. In general usage, osallinen can refer to someone who takes part in an action alongside others, rather than acting alone.

In the legal system, osallinen denotes a participant in the criminal act. The Finnish criminal code distinguishes between the main offender (tekijä), a participant (osallinen), and a person who provides assistance (avunantaja). An osallinen contributes to the crime through planning, coordination, or active support, but their role is not necessarily the central cause of the act. Liability for an osallinen is determined under the same statute as the principal offense, but the extent of punishment is often influenced by the degree of involvement, intent, and the causal connection to the crime. In some cases, a passive bystander may still be held liable if their actions or encouragement meaningfully contributed to the wrongdoing.

Typical examples of osallinen conduct include acting as a lookout, enabling the crime by supplying tools or information, participating in the execution, or assisting after the fact. The term is also used more broadly in everyday language to describe someone who is involved in an activity or scheme, even outside of strictly criminal contexts.

See also: osallisuus, osallistuminen, avunantaja, rikoslain.