The examination and reporting of war crimes-an example from Finnish history.

We present a historical example of forensic investigation of civilian victims of an armed conflict. During the Civil War in Finland in 1918, 77 external examinations with photographic documentation and 10 forensic autopsies were carried out. However, incorrect conclusions concerning post-mortem changes made by non-medical persons led into erroneous interpretations of the events. Post-mortem changes were considered to be signs of torture and post-mortem mutilation. This example demonstrates how political purposes may falsify results of a forensic investigation.