On May 7, Finnish member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen announced that she is appealing the Finnish Supreme Court’s decision against her.

In 2022, Räsänen went to trial before Finland’s Supreme Court for a 2019 Bible verse tweet and for a pamphlet she published in 2004 titled “Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual Relationships Challenge the Christian Understanding of Humanity.”  

In March, by a 3-2 majority decision, the court acquitted her for the tweet but charged her with hate speech for the pamphlet, citing a section in Finland’s Criminal Code titled “War crimes and crimes against humanity,” a law introduced in 2008, years after the pamphlet was published. 

The court ordered Räsänen to pay a 1,800-euro fine, equivalent to 20 days’ pay.  

In May, Räsänen released a statement through ADF International that she is appealing her sentence to the European Court of Human Rights. 

“The failure of the Finnish Supreme Court to uphold freedom of speech has set a dangerous precedent in my country and across Europe,” Räsänen said in the statement. “I feel it is my duty to appeal this decision, to reinstate respect for the basic human right that all are free to peacefully express their views in the public square.” 

Räsänen’s case has caught attention around the world. She has been invited to speak on the importance of upholding the freedom of speech and religion in politics, including speaking at the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Hearing titled “Europe’s Threat to Speech and Innovation: Part II” in February. 

“I know I am not alone in facing unjust persecution under ‘hate speech’ laws that make sharing Christian beliefs a criminal offense,” Räsänen said. “I make my appeal in the hope that the European Court of Human Rights will recognize that peacefully expressing one’s beliefs is never a crime and ensure that this basic freedom is protected for all.” 

Story by Bella Agnello 

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