Finland’s Supreme Court is set to give its final ruling in the high-profile free speech case involving former interior minister and Christian Democrat MP Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola.
Both have been charged with hate crimes for their expressing Christian views on sexuality and marriage. The final ruling is due tomorrow.
ADF International, the legal counsel of Räsänen and Pohjola, argued the case is “about whether quoting the Bible and standing on its teachings can be criminalised in 21st-century Europe”.
In June 2019, Räsänen posted a tweet directed at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, questioning its decision to endorse a Helsinki Pride event.
ADF’s executive director, Paul Coleman said: “You don’t need to agree with Päivi’s beliefs to agree that in a democratic society, everyone has the right to speak freely. Even if you disagree with her beliefs, you can uphold her right to voice them without criminal prosecution.”
For Räsänen, her ordeal highlights the fading influence of Christian values in society.
The relationship between freedom of religion and free speech has been a central topic. Earlier in October, the Lutheran Church of Norway formally apologised to the country’s LGBTQ community for the discrimination and harassment it subjected them to in the past.
Meanwhile, the French left-wing mayor Benoit Payan found himself under fire for cancelling the screening of a Christian docu-fiction film on the grounds of secularism.
His decision was later overturned by a court that ruled his action was an illegal violation of freedom of expression.
Pohjola says he is confident about the upcoming ruling in Finland.
“The process has been long, and that’s why I’m pleased that it is coming to an end. I look forward to the oral hearing with confidence, where we can, with a clear conscience and openly, express how every person has an inviolable human dignity and what the Christian view of marriage means,” he said.
Both the Helsinki District Court and the Court of Appeal previously acquitted Räsänen of all charges, ruling her statements did not meet the legal threshold for incitement to hatred or defamation.
The Finnish Association for Freedom of Speech and Religion is set to hold a rally today outside the Court and warned about a threat to religious freedom and free speech within Christian communities in Finland.
This Finnish case is also featured in the Brussels Signal deep dive on free speech.
