Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen faces “hate speech” trial on Oct 30th before Supreme Court of Finland for Bible-tweet, despite two previous acquittals
Räsänen will be available for questions at an online press conference hosted by ADF International on Oct 30th at 16:00 CET (11:00 EDT)
HELSINKI (22 October 2025) – The Supreme Court of Finland will hear the free speech case of Finnish member of parliament Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola on October 30th, 2025. Both were previously unanimously acquitted of “hate speech” charges by two lower courts after publicly expressing their Christian beliefs.
Räsänen, who is a medical doctor, Finland’s former Interior Minister, and a parliamentarian since 1995, was criminally charged with “agitation against a minority group” in 2021. She was charged under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled “war crimes and crimes against humanity” for sharing her Christian beliefs on marriage and sexual ethics in a 2019 tweet, as well as a 2019 live radio debate and 2004 church pamphlet. Bishop Pohjola was charged for publishing Räsänen’s 2004 pamphlet. The prosecution has dropped the charge regarding the radio debate in its appeal to the Supreme Court.
“Free societies should never criminalize peaceful expression. Yet for over six years, Päivi Räsänen has endured interrogations, trials, and appeals for simply sharing a belief rooted in her faith. The outcome of this case will set a precedent not only for Finland, but also for free speech across Europe. It’s time to reaffirm that democracy depends on the right to speak freely—even when others disagree.”
Press conference registration
ADF International will host a press conference after the Supreme Court trial on 30th October at 16:00 CET.
Dr. Päivi Räsänen, MP, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, and Finnish criminal defense lawyer, Matti Sankamo, will be available for questions after a brief statement by Räsänen.
Please register here to access the Zoom link to the press conference.
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More Information
Prosecution continues despite unanimous acquittal
Despite Räsänen and Pohjola’s unanimous acquittals at the Helsinki District Court in 2022 and the Court of Appeals in 2023, the prosecution appealed the “not guilty” verdict on the basis that the Courts reached the wrong conclusion, which the Finnish legal system permits. It continues to demand several thousands of Euros in fines and that Räsänen’s publications be censored.
The case has garnered global media attention as human rights experts voice concern over the threat to free speech in Finland and beyond.
Trial for a tweet
Police investigations against Räsänen commenced in June 2019. A member of the Finnish Lutheran church, her tweet questioned the church’s sponsorship of ‘Pride 2019,’ accompanied by an image of Bible verses from the first chapter of the book of Romans.
For this, she was subjected to a total of 13 hours of police interrogations over many months, including being frequently asked by police to explain her understanding of the Bible. In April 2021, Finland’s Prosecutor General brought three criminal charges against Räsänen.
Räsänen has served as a member of the Finnish parliament since 1995. From 2004-2015 she was chair of the Christian Democrats, and from 2011-2015 she was the Minister of the Interior. During this time, she held responsibility for church affairs in Finland. She was most recently reelected to parliament in April 2023.
To request an interview with Räsänen or a member of her legal team from ADF International, contact Sofia Hörder at [email protected] / +43 676 362 5093
