From Breitbart: The Supreme Court of Finland, in a 3-2 vote, convicted Christian Democrat MP Päivi Räsänen on Thursday of “agitation against a population group” over a 2004 publication critical of homosexuality.
In recent years, Räsänen, who previously served as Interior Minister, found herself in a legal battle on accusations of “hate speech” against LGBT+ people over a 2004 publication, a 2018 radio appearance, and a 2019 social media post that included a bible verse. While she was acquitted by the District Court of Helsinki and the Court of Appeal, the case was eventually brought to the Finnish Supreme Court.
On Thursday, the court voted to convict Räsänen over the 2004 publication, which she titled, “Male and Female He Created Them – Homosexual Relationships Challenge the Christian Concept of Humanity.” The Luther Foundation Finland, which republished the content over the internet in 2019, was also convicted.
The Finland Supreme Court noted that the MP was charged with two counts over the publication “derogatory towards homosexuals on the basis of their sexual orientation.”
The report further states that the Finnish Supreme Court imposed fines on Räsänen and the Luther Foundation Finland’s manager, ordering both to take down the “unlawful passages” in the publication.
Räsänen had published the pamphlet back in 2004, but it wasn’t until she posted a Bible verse in 2019 that the “hate speech” attack began. Ultimately she was acquitted of the Bible verse, but penalized over the 2004 pamphlet.
In a statement after the ruling, Räsänen explained that the whole point of her original post was not attacking the LGBTQ community, but she was questioning the Lutheran church for supporting a gay pride event. She wrote:
The process began with a tweet I published in June 2019, in which I asked a question to the Evangelical Lutheran Church that had registered as a supporter of the Pride event. The main content of my publication was an image attachment from Romans 1, chapter 24–27 of the New Testament.
The target of my criticism was not any minority, but the leadership of my own denomination. On April 22, 2021, the Attorney General filed charges of incitement against a group of people. The pamphlet I wrote in 2004, “Male and female he created them,” and Ruben Stiller’s radio discussion published on Yleisradio in 2019 were also brought up. The bishop of the mission diocese, Juhana Pohjola, was charged with publishing and making the pamphlet available.
She also explained:
The Supreme Court has today, March 26, 2026, issued its decision in a legal process regarding freedom of speech that has lasted almost seven years.
The Supreme Court acquitted me of my tweet containing verses from Romans. However, I and Bishop Juhana Pohjola were convicted of incitement against a group of people and ordered to censor my article “Male and female He created them,” which I wrote back in 2004.
The Supreme Court’s decision was not unanimous, but was approved by a vote of 3–2 against the presentation of the rapporteur’s counsel.
I now have to take the time to read the decision carefully and assess whether it would be wise to appeal this to the European Court of Human Rights.
On February 8, Räsänen had explained, “This Bible tweet is what started my nearly 7-year legal process, and this is still under review by the Supreme Court. This as a reminder to those here asking how my charges relate to the Bible.”
Tästä Raamattutwiitistä lähti liikkeelle lähes 7 v kestänyt oikeusprosessini ja tämä on edelleen Korkeimman oikeuden tutkittavana. Tämä muistutuksena niille, jotka täällä kyselevät, miten syytteeni liittyvät Raamattuun. https://t.co/j948NgUgn6
— Päivi Räsänen (@PaiviRasanen) February 8, 2026
CLICK HERE to view the pamphlet Päivi Räsänen released, which Finland’s Supreme Court ruled was “hate speech.”
Several U.S. lawmakers are reacting in fury over the ruling against free speech in Finalnd.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) blasted the ruling, writing, “Terrible decision. In February, Päivi Räsänen testified before @JudiciaryGOP on the EU’s censorship regime and threats to free speech. Today’s unjust conviction for handing out a church pamphlet over 20 years ago is part of the censorship we should all be fighting.”
Terrible decision.
In February, Päivi Räsänen testified before @JudiciaryGOP on the EU’s censorship regime and threats to free speech.
Today’s unjust conviction for handing out a church pamphlet over 20 years ago is part of the censorship we should all be fighting. https://t.co/9QKD8ypgoG
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 26, 2026
Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) released the following statement:
The Supreme Court of Finland just convicted a former MP and a Bishop under the “war crimes and crimes against humanity” section of their criminal code. Their crime? Publishing a pamphlet expressing the Christian view on marriage titled “Man and Woman He Created Them: Homosexuality and the Challenge to the Christian Conception of Man.”
This is part of a broader trend I’ve been warning about where Western countries are persecuting Christians. Silently praying outside an abortion clinic in the UK, protesting gender ideology in Belgium, and now sharing traditional views on marriage and family. As a Christian country, the US cannot stand idly by and watch as the Christian foundations of the West are destroyed.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex) wrote, “Outrageous persecution in Finland of a kind and courageous woman for speaking truth and standing up for Christ. It’s a glimpse into what is coming to America – as she testified in a hearing we held just this year. We stand with @PaiviRasanen & must call out Finland. @SecRubio.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost warned, “When the government can tell you what you’re allowed to say, you no longer live in a free society. Grateful that she was acquitted for the “crime” of tweeting a Bible verse—but appalled that she was convicted for writing a pamphlet for her church that the government objected to.”
The Center for Baptist Leadership wrote, “This should serve as a dire warning for every Christian in America who still supports or votes for Democrats. If given the power, and the chance, the Left will ban the Bible and criminalize our Christian beliefs and speech here on home soil—just as they are doing in Europe.”
Päivi Räsänen defends free speech not just for herself, but for everyone.
Today, Finland’s Supreme Court convicted her for peacefully expressing her beliefs in the public square.
And yet, this is what she stands for:
“I want to defend those people with whom I disagree.” pic.twitter.com/A4si90zrOO
— ADF International (@ADFIntl) March 27, 2026
This is absolutely absurd.https://t.co/NbMoYNjhxh
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) March 26, 2026
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