Finnish newspaper editor says sacked over homosexuality

Posted on October 5, 2008
Filed Under Uncategorized

Johanna Korhonen, named editor of Finnish provincial daily Lapin Kansa in early September, told the Finnish News Agency (STT) that she had been sacked because of her sexual orientation.

Alma Media, the publisher of Lapin Kansa, had said in a statement it had decided to terminate Ms Korhonen’s contract and restart the recruitment process immediately.

“Serious lack of trust developed after the signing of the contract prevents Ms Korhonen to act as the editor-in-chief at Lapin Kansa,” the statement added.

Ms Korhonen said the termination was illegal and added she was mulling taking legal action against Alma Media.

Ms Korhonen had been scheduled to replace the retiring Heikki Tuomi-Nikula as Lapin Kansa’s editor in December.

She told commercial broadcaster MTV3 that Alma Media had offerred her 100,000 euros in exchange for not disclosing that she had been sacked because of her homosexuality.

Finnish newspaper editor says sacked over homosexuality