The Finnish Supreme Court Examines Free Speech in Landmark Case
In a case that has drawn international attention, Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen’s legal battle over a Bible verse tweet reached the Supreme Court of Finland on Thursday. The tweet, originally posted in 2019, criticized the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s endorsement of LGBT pride month, sparking a legal saga over free speech rights.
Despite previous acquittals by both the Helsinki Court of Appeal and the District Court of Helsinki, Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola found themselves back in court. The case has gained attention due to its implications for free speech, particularly concerning religious expression.
Räsänen, who held the position of Finland’s interior minister from 2011 to 2015, emphasized the broader implications of her case. “I stand here not only to defend my own right to speak freely, but to defend the freedom of every person to express deeply held beliefs without fear of punishment,” she stated before the court session.
The controversy began when Räsänen tweeted a Bible verse questioning why the Finnish Lutheran Church would support what she described as “shame and sin” as a “matter of pride.” This tweet, along with a 2004 pamphlet titled “Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity,” co-authored with Pohjola, led to allegations of “agitation against a minority group.”
Over several months, Räsänen underwent extensive police interrogations, amounting to 13 hours in total. The Finnish prosecutor general subsequently charged Räsänen and Pohjola under laws relating to “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Throughout the proceedings, Räsänen has remained steadfast in her beliefs. “I said that ‘I will not apologize,'” she told The Christian Post. “It’s not only my view; it is what the word of God says.”
She also voiced concerns about the potential repercussions of the case, suggesting it could lead to increased persecution of Christians across Europe. “If I would lose, it would mean … starting a time of persecution of Christians in Finland and also in Europe,” she argued.
Räsänen expressed gratitude for the opportunity to discuss her faith publicly, noting that the case has allowed her to promote the Gospel, even to those who struggle with their sexuality. “This whole process has opened up such chances, such possibilities to speak in public about God’s Word and also about the Gospel … that I would never have gotten without this,” she said, adding that some individuals, including LGBT people, have found faith through this journey.
Paul Coleman of ADF International underscored the risks of deploying “hate speech” laws to suppress discourse. “Criminalizing peaceful speech through so-called ‘hate speech’ laws not only silences important conversations — it endangers democracy itself,” he commented.
The Supreme Court’s decision is anticipated in the months ahead. A conviction could lead to significant fines and the censorship of the contentious tweet and pamphlet.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
