Court Upholds Acquittal Over Bible Tweet but Convicts Over Decades-Old Church Pamphlet
HELSINKI – In a narrow 3–2 decision, the Finnish Supreme Court has found parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen guilty of “hate speech” on one charge relating to the expression of her beliefs on marriage and sexual ethics in a twenty-year-old church pamphlet. Räsänen has been criminally convicted for publishing the 2004 pamphlet for her church, alongside Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola. The conviction is for “making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group”. The Supreme Court unanimously acquitted Räsänen for her 2019 Bible verse tweet.
Räsänen was previously unanimously acquitted on all charges by two lower courts. This is the third attempt by the Finnish prosecution to charge Räsänen with a crime.
The long serving parliamentarian and former Minister of the Interior has been convicted for “hate speech” under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled “war crimes and crimes against humanity”. The medical doctor and grandmother of twelve was tried in early 2022 and again in 2023 for expressing her beliefs in a 2019 tweet, which included a Bible verse, in addition to a 2019 radio debate and 2004 church booklet.
After the prosecutor appealed for the second time, the Supreme Court, which heard the case in October 2025, has now ruled on two of the three original charges: concerning the tweet and the church booklet. The Supreme Court was not asked to rule on the radio debate as the prosecution did not appeal it, so Räsänen’s acquittal for the debate stands.
The Finnish Supreme Court unanimously acquitted Räsänen for a 2019 social media post in which she quoted a Bible verse while questioning her church’s support of a Pride event. However, in a narrow 3–2 decision, the court convicted her on a separate charge tied to a church pamphlet she authored more than 20 years ago, before the law she was found guilty of breaking even existed.
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Conviction Over 2004 Pamphlet
The court ruled that Räsänen, alongside Juhana Pohjola, was guilty of making available statements that were deemed insulting toward a group based on sexual orientation. The material in question came from a 2004 church publication addressing Christian views on marriage and sexual ethics.
Despite acknowledging that the text did not incite violence or pose a threat, the court determined that continuing to share the pamphlet online in recent years made it subject to current legal standards.
Räsänen, a former Interior Minister and medical doctor, now faces fines totaling several thousand euros. The court also ordered the removal and destruction of the materials in question.
Acquittal on Bible Tweet
The court firmly rejected claims that Räsänen’s 2019 tweet constituted criminal speech. The justices ruled that quoting did not meet the threshold for incitement.
This portion of the ruling upheld earlier decisions from lower courts, which had previously cleared Räsänen of all charges.
The legal battle began in 2019 and has spanned multiple trials and appeals. Räsänen was initially acquitted twice before prosecutors brought the case to the Supreme Court.
Notably, the court did not revisit a third charge related to a 2019 radio debate, leaving her earlier acquittal on that matter intact.
A Threat to Free Expression
Reacting to the decision, Räsänen expressed both relief and concern.
“I am shocked and profoundly disappointed that the court has failed to recognize my basic human right to freedom of expression,” she said, while reaffirming her commitment to her Christian beliefs.
She is now considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, with support from ADF International, which has helped coordinate her legal defense.
Legal advocates warn that the ruling could have far-reaching consequences.
Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, called the conviction “an outrageous example of state censorship,” while Kristen Waggoner warned that punishing peaceful religious expression undermines the foundation of democratic societies.
A “Modern-Day Heresy Trial”?
The case drew global scrutiny, particularly as prosecutors challenged Räsänen’s interpretation of biblical teachings during court proceedings.
At one point, a state prosecutor argued that while the Bible itself could be quoted, personal interpretations of Scripture could cross into criminal territory.
Christian Perspective
At its core, the case is about whether individuals are free to express biblical truth in the public square without fear of punishment.
Scripture calls believers to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), but also warns that standing on God’s design—“male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27)—will increasingly face opposition.
The ruling in Finland serves as both a caution and a call. A caution that freedoms long assumed can erode, and a call for Christians to remain faithful, gracious, and courageous in proclaiming truth, regardless of the cost.
