Skip to content
  • Commentary

The unstoppable march of state censorship

In Finland, a long-standing member of parliament and former government minister, Dr Päivi Räsänen, is facing jail time for three counts of ‘hate speech’. Her crime was sharing her deeply held beliefs over the past two decades on topics such as marriage, sexual ethics and her Christian faith.

The criminal charges relate to a 2019 tweet containing a picture of a Bible passage, a church pamphlet she wrote in 2004 on marriage and sexual ethics, and approximately two minutes of conversation extracted from a one-hour discussion on a 2019 radio show, which was broadcast on the Finnish equivalent of the BBC. Each offence carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

Writes Paul Coleman in Spiked. Read the rest of the article here.

Would you give today?

Other Commentaries

October 9, 2025 /

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu’s Supreme Court Outcome Will Shape Religious Freedom in Africa 

Read More
Qaraqosh is home to many Iraqi Christians. It suffered great loss in 2014.
August 13, 2025 /

What Can We Learn from Iraqi Christians 11 Years After ISIS’s Attack?

Read More
March for Life UK
July 3, 2025 /

Life at Risk: A Defining Week for the UK 

Read More

Stay Informed

Get involved! Sign up to receive updates:

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name*
Consent*

Statement of Faith

Based on our adherence to the inspired, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God in Scripture, we profess with the Christian Church throughout time and around the world the faith expressed in the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Die engagierte Lebensschützerin aus Großbritannien, die festgenommen wurde, als sie still in der Nähe einer Abtreibungsklinik auf einer öffentlichen Straße betete.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

David

David wurde im Februar 2024 von unbekannten Männern gefangen genommen und zwei Wochen lang gefoltert. Anschließend wurde er der Polizei übergeben, die ihn wegen Entführung anklagte und innerhalb von drei Tagen ohne Anwalt eine Verurteilung erwirkte. Im Juli hob das Oberste Gericht in Nordnigeria das unrechtmäßige Urteil auf. Er ist nun frei.

Mehr erfahren

David

David was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who charged him with kidnapping and obtained a conviction without a lawyer in 3 days. In July, the High Court in Northern Nigeria overturned his wrongful conviction. He is now free.

David

David was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who charged him with kidnapping and obtained a conviction without a lawyer in 3 days. In July, the High Court in Northern Nigeria overturned his wrongful conviction. He is now free.

Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta and Shafqat from Pakistan, a Christian couple who languished on death row for seven years, convicted for allegedly sending a blasphemous text message, even though they can neither read nor write.

Stand with Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta and Shafqat from Pakistan, a Christian couple who languished on death row for seven years, convicted for allegedly sending a blasphemous text message, even though they can neither read nor write.

Stand with Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta und Shafqat

Ein christliches Paar aus Pakistan, das 7 Jahre lang in der Todeszelle saß, weil sie angeblich eine blasphemische Textnachricht versendet hatten - obwohl beide weder lesen noch schreiben können.

Rodrigo Iván Cortés

Ein ehemaliger Kongressabgeordnete aus Mexiko, der bestraft wurde, nachdem er die biologische Wahrheit der zwei Geschlechter verteidigt hatte.

Rodrigo Iván Cortés

Rodrigo Iván Cortés, a former Mexican congressman, punished under the law after speaking out in defence of biological reality — the fact that we are male and female.

Stand with Rodrigo now

Rodrigo Iván Cortés

Rodrigo Iván Cortés, a former Mexican congressman, punished under the law after speaking out in defence of biological reality — the fact that we are male and female.

Stand with Rodrigo now

Päivi Räsänen

Eine Abgeordnete des finnischen Parlaments, die wegen ‘Hassrede’ angeklagt wurde, nachdem sie öffentlich ihre christlichen Überzeugungen zu Ehe und Sexualität geäußert hatte.

Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament and devoted grandmother from Finland, charged with 'hate speech' for voicing her deeply held beliefs on the Christian view of marriage and sexuality.

Stand with Päivi

Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament and devoted grandmother from Finland, charged with 'hate speech' for voicing her deeply held beliefs on the Christian view of marriage and sexuality.

Stand with Päivi

Nada und Hamouda

Aus dem Sudan, deren Ehe von einem Scharia-Gericht aufgelöst wurde und die mit 100 Peitschenhieben und Lebensgefahr bedroht wurden, nur weil sie zum Christentum konvertierten.

Nada and Hamouda

Nada and Hamouda from Sudan, who had their marriage struck down by a Sharia court and faced punishment of 100 lashes and threats to their lives, simply because they converted to Christianity.

Stand with Nada and Hamouda

Nada and Hamouda

Nada and Hamouda from Sudan, who had their marriage struck down by a Sharia court and faced punishment of 100 lashes and threats to their lives, simply because they converted to Christianity.

Stand with Nada and Hamouda

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

Im März 2020 brannte ein gefährlicher Mob sein Haus nieder, und die Hisbah-Religionspolizei, eine für die Durchsetzung der Scharia zuständige Behörde, verhaftete Yahaya. Kurz darauf wurde der junge Mann vor einem Scharia-Gericht wegen angeblicher „Blasphemie“ verurteilt und zum Tod durch Erhängen verurteilt. Seine Berufung vor dem Obersten Gerichtshof könnte die auf der Scharia basierenden Blasphemiegesetze in Nordnigeria aufheben.

Mehr erfahren

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

In March 2020, a dangerous mob burned down his house and the Hisbah religious police, an official authority in charge of enforcing Sharia law, arrested Yahaya. Shortly after, the young man was convicted in a Sharia court for his alleged “blasphemy” and sentenced to death by hanging. His Supreme Court appeal has the potential to overturn Sharia-based blasphemy laws in Northern Nigeria.

Read More

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

In March 2020, a dangerous mob burned down his house and the Hisbah religious police, an official authority in charge of enforcing Sharia law, arrested Yahaya. Shortly after, the young man was convicted in a Sharia court for his alleged “blasphemy” and sentenced to death by hanging. His Supreme Court appeal has the potential to overturn Sharia-based blasphemy laws in Northern Nigeria.

Read More

Rhoda Jatau

Nigerian Christian mother of 5, Rhoda Jatau, has been acquitted after being imprisoned for 19-months for allegedly sharing a video on WhatsApp.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content
Read More

Rhoda Jatau

Die nigerianische Christin und Mutter von fünf Kindern, Rhoda Jatau, wurde freigesprochen, nachdem sie 19 Monate lang inhaftiert war, weil sie angeblich ein Video auf WhatsApp geteilt hatte.

Sie sehen gerade einen Platzhalterinhalt von YouTube. Um auf den eigentlichen Inhalt zuzugreifen, klicken Sie auf die Schaltfläche unten. Bitte beachten Sie, dass dabei Daten an Drittanbieter weitergegeben werden.

Mehr Informationen
Inhalt entsperren Erforderlichen Service akzeptieren und Inhalte entsperren

Rhoda Jatau

Nigerian Christian mother of 5, Rhoda Jatau, has been acquitted after being imprisoned for 19-months for allegedly sharing a video on WhatsApp.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content
Read More

Rhoda Jatau

Rhoda was put in prison for 19 months during a trial where she was charged with blasphemy for allegedly sending a WhatsApp message condemning mob violence against Christians.

Read more

Adah

Adah musste aus ihrem Zuhause fliehen, weil sie nach ihrer Konversion von ihrer Familie bedroht wurde. Sie erhielt in einem anderen Bundesstaat eine Schutzanordnung.

Adah

Adah had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion and obtained a protective order in another state.

Adah

Adah had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion and obtained a protective order in another state.

Adah

Adah had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion and obtained a protective order in another state.

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

In March 2020, a dangerous mob burned down his house and the Hisbah religious police, an official authority in charge of enforcing Sharia law, arrested Yahaya. Shortly after, the young man was convicted in a Sharia court for his alleged “blasphemy” and sentenced to death by hanging. His Supreme Court appeal has the potential to overturn Sharia-based blasphemy laws in Northern Nigeria.

Read more

Pastor Ezekiel

Pastor Ezekiel wurde im Februar 2024 von unbekannten Männern gefangen genommen und zwei Wochen lang gefoltert, bevor er der Polizei übergeben wurde, die ihn wieder freiließ.

Pastor Ezekiel

Pastor Ezekiel was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who released him.

Pastor Ezekiel

Pastor Ezekiel was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who released him.

Pastor Ezekiel

Pastor Ezekiel was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who released him.

David

David was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who charged him with kidnapping and obtained a conviction without a lawyer in 3 days. His lawyer obtained bail for David and is appealing the conviction.

Naomi

Naomi musste aus ihrem Zuhause fliehen, nachdem sie wegen ihrer Konversion von ihrer Familie bedroht worden war, und erhielt in einem anderen Bundesstaat eine Schutzanordnung.

Naomi

Naomi had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion, and obtained a protective order in another state.

Naomi

Naomi had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion, and obtained a protective order in another state.

Naomi

Naomi had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion, and obtained a protective order in another state.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce smiling into the camera.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

What happened at 'NatCon'?

Learn more how free speech prevailed over censorship and cancel culture in the EU's capital:

„*“ zeigt erforderliche Felder an

Consent*

Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta and Shafqat from Pakistan, a Christian couple who languished on death row for seven years, convicted for allegedly sending a blasphemous text message, even though they can neither read nor write.

Stand with Shagufta and Shafqat

Rodrigo Iván Cortés

Rodrigo Iván Cortés, a former Mexican congressman, punished under the law after speaking out in defence of biological reality — the fact that we are male and female.

Stand with Rodrigo now

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament and devoted grandmother from Finland, charged with 'hate speech' for voicing her deeply held beliefs on the Christian view of marriage and sexuality.

Stand with Päivi

Nada and Hamouda

Nada and Hamouda from Sudan, who had their marriage struck down by a Sharia court and faced punishment of 100 lashes and threats to their lives, simply because they converted to Christianity.

Stand with Nada and Hamouda

The movement for freedom needs an Amicus – a friend

Paul and Päivi

It’s never been more important for us to join together and protect our fundamental rights. Here’s how you can today:

Get Going Now

Protecting our right to live and speak the truth

Your gift will support our global work against censorship and for freedom. Thank you for your generosity.

Redirection Notice

You will be re-directed to our US partners Alliance Defending Freedom.

APPLY FOR A GRANT
Digital Service Act booklet

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Do you want to learn more about how the EU DSA may still potentially affect your speech in 2025 — even if you're not an EU resident?(Required)
Name
Please tick the check box below regarding our data privacy if you agree to participate in the survey.(Required)