Finnish politician faces court for misinterpreting Bible verses.
The Fight for Free Speech: Finnish Parliamentarian Faces Trial for Expressing Christian Beliefs
Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen, a member of the Finnish parliament, is currently facing prosecution over her religious beliefs. This week, she appeared before the Helsinki Court of Appeal to defend her Christian views on marriage and sexuality.
“Everyone should be able to share their beliefs without fearing censorship by state authorities. I know that the prosecution is trying to make an example of me to scare others into silence. Yet, you do not have to align with my views to agree that everyone should be able to speak freely. With God’s help, I will remain steadfast and continue defending everyone’s human right to free speech,” Räsänen said on the first day of her new trial.
Räsänen was previously acquitted by the District Court of Helsinki for the same charges back in March 2022. However, she now finds herself back in court, facing accusations of “hate speech” violations for a 2019 tweet that included Bible verses and a pamphlet she wrote on marriage in 2004.
Bishop Juhana Pohjola is also being prosecuted for publishing the same pamphlet, under charges related to “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in the Finnish criminal code.
Prosecutors argue that they can limit freedom of expression in the outward expression of religion. They claim that Räsänen’s interpretation of the Bible verses in her tweet is what makes it criminal.
Paul Coleman, the executive director of ADF International and a member of Räsänen’s legal team, warns that Finland’s hate speech laws pose a danger to democratic societies. He believes that criminalizing speech through so-called “hate-speech” laws stifles important public debates and endangers democracy.
The case has gained international attention, with Republicans urging State Department officials to support Räsänen. Republican representatives have sent a letter to Douglas Hickey, America’s ambassador to Finland, and Rashad Hussain, the ambassador for the U.S. Office of Religious Freedom, in her defense.
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