Finnish Court Sides With Parliamentarian Charged With “Hate Speech” For Bible Quote Tweets

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a landmark ruling that bolstered the principles of free speech, the Helsinki Court of Appeal discarded charges against Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola. The pair were on trial for alleged “hate speech” due to public declarations of their Christian faith. Räsänen, a former Interior Minister of Finland, was officially indicted on incitement against a minority group in 2021 under Finnish criminal law addressing “war crimes and crimes against humanity.” The charges stemmed from her 2019 Christian reflections on marriage and sex via Twitter, a live radio debate, and a 2004 church pamphlet. Bishop Pohjola faced indictment for the circulation of Räsänen’s pamphlet from 2004. The case caught global attention as critics voiced worry about the implications for freedom of speech. “Having experienced an enormous sense of relief, I am glad the court reaffirmed the district court’s ruling that backed everyone’s freedom of expression,” expressed Päivi Räsänen. “Tweeting verses from the Bible or participating in public discussions from a Christian perspective are no crimes. The past four years, due to efforts to indict me for expressing my beliefs, have been incredibly difficult. However, I hope this ruling will ensure protection for freedom of speech as a human right. My desire is that no one will have to experience such a predicament simply for pronouncing their beliefs.” The Court upheld the unanimous March 2022 acquittal secured in District Court, rebuffing the…Finnish Court Sides With Parliamentarian Charged With “Hate Speech” For Bible Quote Tweets