Paula Vesala testified in Amirkhani trial: police should have been called to film set
Paula Vesala testified in court that Mira Luoti filmed events as a rape attempt. Vesala said she regretted not being able to support Luoti more.
Vesala: police should have been called to film set immediately
Singer Paula Vesala appeared as a witness on Thursday in the sexual offence trial of mixed martial artist Makwan Amirkhani at the West Uusimaa District Court, ess.fi reported. Vesala is the singer of the PMMP band and a close friend of Mira Luoti.
According to the prosecution, Amirkhani forced Luoti to engage in sexual acts during filming of the Julkkisselviytyjät series in late August 2016. Amirkhani denies the charge.
Vesala testified in court that Luoti had called her in early September, immediately after filming, and told her what had happened.
"Mira called me when she came back in early September and told me what happened there," Vesala said.
According to Vesala, Luoti had recounted how Amirkhani had entered the shelter without clothes, after which a rape attempt had occurred. Luoti had managed to prevent the attack in part because she was wearing multiple layers of clothing — according to Luoti's account, Amirkhani had given up and begun to masturbate. Luoti escaped into the forest and waited there until someone found her.
"Makwan had behaved threateningly even before this rape attempt," Vesala said in court.
Vesala described the events as having caused Luoti "absolutely immense distress", panic attacks and severe stress. Over the years, the matter had come up in various contexts, including during music sessions.
"It turned out that she still did not want to sleep in situations where she would be with unfamiliar men," Vesala said.
According to Vesala, reporting the crime had been discussed already in 2016, but Luoti did not have the resources to do so at that time.
Vesala said she found it frustrating that police were not called to the film set at the time. According to her, it should have been done immediately. Furthermore, she said the production company should have supported Luoti in making a police report and offered her therapy.
"I really regret that I was not able to support Mira more," Vesala said.
Amirkhani's defence counsel Kari Uoti raised in questioning Luoti's earlier experiences with sexual violence. Luoti has publicly stated that she experienced sexual harassment as a teenager in 2018. Uoti has also referred to Luoti's earlier experiences on other trial dates.
Uoti asked Vesala directly whether she wanted Amirkhani to be convicted.
"The court will decide that," Vesala replied.
Julkkisselviytyjät was broadcast on Nelonen in 2017. In the programme, Finnish public figures were sent to Nuuksio in Espoo for a few days without food or adequate equipment. Luoti and Amirkhani formed a pair in the programme.
According to the prosecution, the events occurred on the first night of filming. The prosecution states that when Luoti was going to bed, Amirkhani went on top of her and tried to kiss her and touch her breasts without consent. After this, according to the prosecution, Amirkhani pulled Luoti's hand towards his genitals and masturbated to ejaculation, before Luoti managed to escape into the forest.
The prosecution is seeking a sentence of approximately one and a half years' conditional imprisonment for Amirkhani.
The case is being heard at the West Uusimaa District Court exceptionally with members of the public present — at the request of both Amirkhani and Luoti. Sexual offence cases are ordinarily heard in closed session.
Source: Google News FI — Crime (fi)