Three journalists are currently on trial in Finland for allegedly disclosing national defence secrets by publishing confidential data in a newspaper article.
The Finnish Intelligence Research Center, a military intelligence organisation, was the subject of the article published in the daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on December 16, 2017.
The investigative report described a defence forces intelligence unit's general location and functions.
The newspaper's acting manager at the time, Kalle Silfverberg, as well as reporters Tuomo Pietilaina and Laura Halmi, have all denied misconduct.
If convicted, they face prison sentences of up four years, according to Finnish broadcaster MTV.
The three were not present at the District Court of Helsinki on Thursday but are scheduled to testify at the end of November, MTV reported.
A planned follow-up article was not published on the order of the editor-in-chief after the first story drew criticism, according to MTV.
On Thursday, a prosecutor demanded the removal of the online version of the original story from the newspaper’s website, MTV said.