Jukka Rislakki

Jukka Rislakki (1945 in Kuusankoski, Finland) is an awarded Finnish journalist, non-fiction writer, and political cartoonist who has published a number of books, mostly on recent history of Finland, the Baltic states, and books on intelligence activities.

Rislakki spent his childhood and youth in Jämsänkoski, completed a BA in political science at the University of Helsinki and worked as a journalist at the Helsingin Sanomat. Rislakki has worked as a foreign desk writer of Helsingin Sanomat and as Sunday issue reporter, most recently as the correspondent in the Baltic states.

Since the beginning af 2002 Rislakki lives in the Latvian coastal resort town Jūrmala, where he works as a freelance journalist, non-fiction writer, and cartoonist. Rislakki is married to the former Latvian ambassador to Finland and Estonia, Anna Žīgure.

Jukka Rislakki was awarded as Knight of the Order of the White Rose by the Finnish president Tarja Halonen on 16 March 2010 for his "work as a journalist and publicist", an award that was presented to Rislakki at the Embassy of Finland in Riga by ambassador to Latvia Maria Serenius.

Rislakki was awarded the Latvian Cross of Recognition for "selfless promotion of the Latvian image abroad and national patriotic education of youth". The Case for Latvia is the only book by Jukka Rislakki about Latvia, that has been translated to English. Jukka Rislakki received the Cross of Recognition in Riga on 4 May 2009, the day of restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia.