Finland Supreme Court Hears Landmark Bible Speech Hate Crime Case

Finnish parliamentarian Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola are facing a landmark case at Finland's Supreme Court, accused of hate speech for expressing traditional Christian views on marriage and sexuality, including a 2019 tweet and a 2004 pamphlet. Both were unanimously acquitted by lower courts in 2022 and 2023, which ruled their speech was protected under Finnish and international free speech and religious freedom laws, but prosecutors have appealed to the highest court. The case raises profound concerns about freedom of religion and speech in Finland and Europe, with advocates warning it could set a precedent restricting public expression of faith-based beliefs. Räsänen, who has endured extensive legal scrutiny and police questioning, maintains she has not spread hate but simply expressed her religious convictions, emphasizing the trial's implications for democratic freedoms. Supporters and legal defenders argue that a conviction would stigmatize Christian doctrine and threaten the foundation of free society and rule of law. The trial has drawn international attention as a critical test of the boundaries between hate speech laws and religious expression in democratic nations.