Päivi Räsänen: Finland

Päivi's Bible-tweet case to be decided by Finnish Supreme Court

Topic | Freedom of Speech

Long-serving Parliamentarian and grandmother Päivi Räsänen has been defending the right to free speech ever since authorities began attempting to silence her for expressing Christian beliefs on marriage and sexuality in a 2019 tweet. Following multiple police interrogations, she was charged with “hate speech” in April 2021.

After years of legal proceedings, the Finnish Supreme Court is set to hear her case on 30 October 2025. This follows the state prosecutor’s appeal of a second unanimous court ruling that acquitted both Päivi and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the “hate speech” allegations related to their faith-based expressions.

The prosecution is seeking tens of thousands of euros in fines and is demanding that Päivi’s and Bishop Pohjola’s publications be censored.

“After my full exoneration in two courts, I’m not afraid of a hearing before the Supreme Court. Even though I am fully aware that every trial carries risks, an acquittal from the Supreme Court would set an even stronger positive precedent for everyone’s right to free speech and religion.”

- Päivi Räsänen, Finnish Parliamentarian and ADF International client

Case Summary

Police investigations against Päivi Räsänen started in June 2019. As an active member of the Finnish Lutheran church, she addressed the leadership of her church and questioned its official sponsorship of the LGBT event ‘Pride 2019’, accompanied by an image of a Bible text. Over several months, Päivi attended a total of thirteen hours of police interviews about her views. The Finnish Prosecutor General then brought three criminal charges against her at the end of April 2021.

Päivi was accused of having engaged in “hate speech” for publicly voicing her opinion on marriage and human sexuality in a 2004 church pamphlet, for comments made during a 2019 radio debate, and the tweet she directed at her church leadership. Bishop Pohjola, the Chairman of the International Lutheran Council, was charged for having published the pamphlet that Päivi authored. The prosecution has dropped the charge regarding the radio debate in its appeal to the Supreme Court.

ADF International has coordinated Päivi’s legal defense as she faced the courts to fight for everyone’s right to freely share their beliefs. In a unanimous ruling on 14 November 2023, the Helsinki Court of Appeal acquitted Päivi and the bishop of the “hate speech” charges that the state prosecutor had levelled against them. The decision confirmed the District Court’s March 2022 acquittal.

Päivi Räsänen has served as a member of the Finnish Parliament since 1995, and was Minister of the Interior from 2011-2015. She is a medical doctor, mother of five children, and has twelve grandchildren.

“Freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy. The Finnish Prosecutor General’s decision to bring these charges against Dr. Räsänen creates a culture of fear and censorship. If committed civil servants like Päivi Räsänen are criminally charged and tried for voicing their deeply held beliefs, it creates a chilling effect for everyone’s right to speak freely,” said Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International and author of “Censored“.