"I feel like I’m falling apart both mentally and physically," Max admitted.
The Supreme Administrative Court refused to consider the appeal of an asylum seeker who worked as an informant for the Finnish Border Guard. This means he could be deported from Finland to Russia.
The MOT program told Max's story in May. For safety reasons, he does not disclose his real name.
At the end of 2024, two Border Guard officers recruited Max as an informant. Journalists from MOT were able to confirm that his account of assisting the authorities is accurate.
Max met with representatives of the Border Guard for over six months. Meetings were arranged through the encrypted app Signal.
The authorities were particularly interested in information about asylum seekers near the Russian border. At that time, the Ministry of the Interior was preparing to extend a controversial law that restricted the right to apply for asylum. The law was justified by the claim that Russia was using directed migration against Finland.
Max spoke about his informant work too late. In 2025, Max was denied asylum, and he appealed to the administrative court. Only then did he reveal his work as an informant.
The administrative court did not believe his words and did not request additional evidence. The judges decided that Max mentioned this only to avoid deportation.
Now all avenues for appeal have been exhausted.
Max says he is so afraid of possible deportation that he has already developed physical symptoms.
"I feel like I’m falling apart both mentally and physically. My heart races from panic, and my stomach cramps from pain."
Last week, Max submitted a new asylum application.
The new application may be considered if the Migration Service believes that new grounds for asylum have arisen since the previous application was submitted.
Max explains that he did not mention his informant activities during the first hearing because the Border Guard representatives forbade him from discussing it. By law, an asylum seeker must immediately inform the migration authorities of all circumstances affecting their asylum claim.
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