The case against Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola can be heard by the Supreme Court of Finland on Thursday.
Räsänen, who has previously served as Finland’s Interior Minister, has been dragged through the courts for years due to a tweet by which she quoted the Bible.
In 2019 Räsänen published a tweet questioning the appropriateness of her denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, being a sponsor for a Pride event in Helsinki.
The tweet included a picture of a Bible verse from Romans chapter 1, which states, “The men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for each other. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for his or her error.”
Her other alleged infraction involves a 2004 pamphlet published by Bishop Pohjola, by which she expressed traditional Christian views on sexual ethics and marriage. She publicly stated those views again during a radio show in 2019.
Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola were tried in 2022 under a bit of Finnish law that deals with “war crimes and crimes against humanity”. Despite being acquitted each at the unique trial and on the Helsinki Court of Appeals last November, the country’s state prosecutor has decided to appeal the decision yet again.
Räsänen has previously indicated her willingness to maintain fighting this matter till the very end, saying “After my full exoneration in two courts, I’m not afraid of a hearing before the Supreme Court.”
Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, and an element of Räsänen’s legal team, said ahead of the Supreme Court hearing, “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 final result of this case will set a precedent not just for Finland, but additionally without spending a dime speech across Europe. It’s time to reaffirm that democracy depends upon the fitting to talk freely—even when others disagree.”
 The case against Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola can be heard by the Supreme Court of Finland on Thursday. Räsänen,...){kind=link}