Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Finland Considers Renting Overseas Prison Space Amid Growing Overcrowding
Finland’s prisons are becoming too crowded.
The country is studying whether some prisoners could serve their sentences in prisons rented from another country.
Finland has about 3,900 prisoners, and around 950 are foreign nationals.
The number of foreign prisoners has grown sharply over the past ten years.
Justice Minister Leena Meri said the idea needs more study because it could raise constitutional questions.
Finland has not chosen a country or started official negotiations.
Officials are watching agreements involving Sweden and Estonia, and Denmark and Kosovo.
Sweden has already sent its first four prisoners to Estonia.
Estonia is expected to host as many as 600 Swedish prisoners in rented cells in Tartu.
Finland’s Ministry of Justice published a study on the legal conditions for renting prison places abroad.
The country has about 3,900 prisoners, including approximately 950 foreign nationals.
Foreign prisoners have increased 76% in a decade and accounted for about four-fifths of overall prison growth.
No destination country has been chosen, and Finland has not begun formal negotiations.
The study examined arrangements involving Sweden and Estonia, and Denmark and Kosovo, while Sweden has begun sending prisoners to Estonia.
- Who
- The Finnish government and Justice Minister Leena Meri are examining the proposal; Sweden and Estonia are involved in a similar arrangement.
- What
- Finland is considering renting prison space abroad to ease overcrowding.
- When
- The legal study was published on Thursday, September 17; the first Swedish prisoners arrived in Estonia on Friday, September 18.
- Where
- The proposal concerns prisons in another country; Sweden’s prisoners were sent to Tartu, Estonia, after arriving at Amari military airport.
- Why
- Finland’s prison system is overcrowded, while the number of foreign prisoners has risen substantially.
Capacity-focused view
Legal-caution view
Renting prison space abroad
Capacity-focused view
Examining overseas prison capacity could help Finland respond to overcrowding, particularly as the foreign-prisoner population has grown sharply.
Legal-caution view
The proposal requires further examination because transferring prisoners abroad raises constitutional and legislative questions.
How to address foreign prisoners
Capacity-focused view
Renting cells abroad is one option alongside transferring foreign prisoners to their home countries and improving deportation processes.
Legal-caution view
Finland can also focus on building domestic prison capacity and improving existing transfer and deportation procedures rather than relying on an overseas model.
- Finland’s prison population
- About 3,900 prisoners
- Foreign prisoners
- About 950, according to figures cited by the Ministry of Justice
- Foreign-prisoner increase
- 76% over the past decade
- Main principal offences
- Drug offences: 49%; sexual offences: 21%; homicides: 10%
- Current proposal status
- No country has been selected and formal negotiations have not begun
- Sweden-Estonia arrangement
- Estonia is expected to lease space for up to 600 Swedish prisoners in Tartu
- Legal concern
- Finland’s Justice Minister said the proposal raises constitutional questions