EEA Statement on the Acquittal of Päivi Räsänen and Juhana Pohjala

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The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) warmly welcomes the unanimous decision by a Finnish court to reject all accusations brought in against the Finnish politician Päivi Räsänen and the Lutheran bishop Juhana Pohjala. Their acquittal is an important victory of Freedom of Expression in Finland.

Räsänen and Pohjala were both accused of hate speech or ethnic agitation because of a 2004 church brochure on marriage. Further, Räsänen was put on trial for tweeting a picture of a Bible verse and for expressing her thoughts on gender and sexuality in a radio interview. Although their opinions on marriage and sexuality might be offensive to some, it did not meet the widely accepted criteria for hate speech provided in the Rabat Plan of Action. Therefore, the European Evangelical Alliance warmly welcomes the verdict by the Finnish court, acquitting Räsänen and Pohjala of all accusations brought in against them. This is an important win for freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

See also our statement in May 2021: https://www.europeanea.org/wpcontent/uploads/2021/05/EEA-statement_Paivi-Rasanen_May-2021.pdf

Thomas Bucher
General Secretary
European Evangelical Alliance