syyttämättä

Syyttämättä is a Finnish legal term used in criminal procedure to indicate that no criminal charges will be or have been brought against a person. The related noun form is syyttämättä jättäminen, commonly translated as dropping charges. The term also appears in adverbial form as syyttämättä, derived from the verb syyttää, to accuse.

In practice, the decision to act with syyttämättä jättäminen rests with the public prosecutor under the Finnish Code of Criminal Procedure. A case may be brought to an end without charges if the evidence is insufficient, if the alleged act does not meet the statutory definition of a crime, or if pursuing charges is not in the public interest. Other factors, such as the suspect’s age, circumstances, or the availability of reliable corroborating evidence, may also influence the decision.

The effect of syyttämättä jättäminen is that the matter does not proceed to a trial and cannot result in a criminal conviction. It is not the same as an acquittal or a declaration of innocence; it simply means that no charges will be pursued based on the available information. In some cases, new evidence can lead to reopening or reconsideration, but such steps depend on applicable legal provisions and time limits.

Common usage appears in media and official summaries to describe cases where authorities have decided not to prosecute. See also: syytteeseen asettaminen, syyte, syyttömyys.