A 37-year-old man from Lahti is being charged with defamation, in a case related to Finland's Lucia, Daniela Owusu, being targeted with racist abuse in 2024.

The criminal charge was filed at Päijät-Häme District Court in Lahti. Details about the case will be made public after the charges are heard in court.

The Lahti man is the second individual who has been charged in the case.

After it was announced that Owusu would be Finland's Lucia in 2024, she received more than 100 racist comments and direct messages.

Additionally, thousands of similar comments were posted on social media. At the same time, members of Owusu's family were also sent racist messages.

A Helsinki man was charged with defaming Owusu earlier this month.

Owusu was the first non-white person to be selected as Finland's Lucia. Her father is from Ghana while her mother is Finnish.

After her selection was announced, Owusu said she wanted to be a role model for young people and to show that anyone could become a Lucia, regardless of their background.

St Lucia Day is an annual traditional ceremony in which a young woman — chosen by public vote — dons a wreath carrying candles and sings traditional songs on 13 December during a ceremony at Helsinki Cathedral.