Press release by Päivi Räsänen regarding the Supreme Court’s decision

Today, March 26, 2026, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in a legal case concerning freedom of speech that has lasted nearly seven years.

Regarding my tweet containing verses from the Epistle to the Romans, the Supreme Court issued an acquittal. However, Bishop Juhana Pohjola and I were convicted of incitement against a group of people and ordered to censor my essay “Male and Female He Created Them,” which I wrote back in 2004.

The Supreme Court’s decision was not unanimous; rather, it was approved by a 3–2 vote, contrary to the recommendation of the reporting judge.

I now need to take the time to carefully read and evaluate the decision to determine whether it would be wise to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

The process began with a tweet I published in June 2019, in which I posed a question to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which had declared its support for a Pride event. The main content of my post was an image attachment of verses 24–27 from Chapter 1 of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament. My criticism was not directed at any minority, but at the leadership of my own denomination. On April 22, 2021, the Prosecutor General filed charges of incitement against an ethnic group. Also brought up were a pamphlet I wrote and published in 2004 titled “Male and Female He Created Them” and a radio discussion with Ruben Stiller broadcast on Yle in 2019.

 Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Missionary Diocese was charged with publishing and distributing a pamphlet.

The Helsinki District Court dismissed all charges against my statements on March 30, 2022, and the Court of Appeal did the same on November 14, 2023. The Prosecutor General sought and was granted leave to appeal regarding the tweet and pamphlet to the Supreme Court, which held an oral hearing last October.

The investigation against me, which has lasted over six years, has included accusations contrary to the truth, lengthy police interrogations lasting over 13 hours, and preparation for court sessions. I have hoped that others would not have to go through a similar ordeal.

This legal process and decision are historic in terms of freedom of speech and religion. For the first time, a court has considered as a criminal matter whether one may display teachings related to the Bible and express agreement with them. By issuing an acquittal regarding my Bible tweet, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle of religious freedom.

This process, which has lasted nearly seven years—with its investigations and court proceedings, and without even a verdict—has served to erode freedom of speech and religion by fostering self-censorship. But an even more serious problem is the demand for censorship: a ban on the publication of my writings.

I have emphasized that one does not need to agree with me in order to defend my right to express my views. Freedom of speech is needed precisely when people disagree on issues. I hope that, despite this decision, we can continue to have constructive discussions—even under the protection of freedom of speech and religion—even on difficult issues.

I am grateful to God and to everyone who has supported me. From the very beginning, I have said that I stand by this, no matter what the consequences. I still do not believe I have committed any illegal acts in my writings.

Despite this verdict, defending freedom of speech and religion has not been in vain. Nor has it been in vain to uphold the teachings of the Bible.

This decision shows that freedom of speech must be defended even more vigorously. Its preservation as a strong fundamental right in practice is not a given. I have considered it a privilege and an honor to defend freedom of speech and religion, which is a central right in a democratic state. I intend to continue doing so.”
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Päivi Räsänen has served as a Member of Parliament since 1995, as Chair of the Christian Democrats (2004–2015), and as Minister of the Interior (2011–2015). The case has also attracted widespread international attention.

The Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland 26.3.2026 about the Supereme Court`s decision

The Supreme Court has convicted Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who acted as the representative of the Finnish Luther Foundation, of incitement against an ethnic group, and has imposed a corporate fine on the Finnish Luther Foundation. However, the charge regarding Räsänen’s Twitter post was dismissed.

The Supreme Court issued its ruling on March 26, sentencing Räsänen and Pohjola to 20 days’ fines and imposing a corporate fine of 5,000 euros on the Finnish Luther Foundation.

The case involved a teaching booklet from the Aamutähti series written by Räsänen and later published online, titled “Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual Relationships Challenge the Christian View of Humanity.” The charge concerned the online publication of the text, not its original printed version. The Finnish Luther Foundation originally published the booklet back in 2004.

The Supreme Court found that some of the expressions in the text were insulting to homosexuals on the basis of their sexual orientation. In these respects, the conduct met the criteria for the crime of incitement against a population group. However, not all of the points raised in the indictment were deemed punishable.

According to the Supreme Court, the conviction was not in conflict with the freedom of speech and religion guaranteed by the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. In contrast, the charge regarding the message Räsänen posted on Twitter was dismissed.

In addition to the fines, the Supreme Court ordered the defendants to remove from their online publications those sections that were deemed unlawful.

The case began in 2019 and has lasted nearly seven years. The District Court and the Court of Appeals had previously dismissed the charges in their entirety. The case has sparked widespread public debate, addressing issues such as the limits of freedom of speech and religion. The defendants have repeatedly stated that the pamphlet was not intended to be offensive.

Bishop Juhana Pohjola commented on the ruling:

Upon receiving the decision, I feel a sense of unreality and shock. This court ruling is a defeat not only for us and those who adhere to traditional Christian teaching, but also for those who think differently, because the issue of freedom of speech and religion is common to all.

The Supreme Court considers speech regarding the abnormality of homosexuality to be offensive. In doing so, it fundamentally opposes the Christian understanding of humanity and marriage, as well as Christian sexual ethics. Therefore, this decision restricts religious freedom.

We continue to teach that every person is equal as the image of God, but in light of biblical revelation, the practice of homosexuality is a lifestyle that deviates from God’s order of creation. This biblical teaching must be taught publicly in Finland without fear, now and in the future.

According to Pohjola, further action is being considered.

“My conscience is clear, and in any case, the work in support of freedom of speech and religion will continue. We accept this calmly as God’s will. We would like to thank those who have supported and prayed for this cause around the world. We are also considering filing an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.”

Pohjola believes the decision also has an unfortunate consequence related to the silencing and intimidating effect of the verdict and the entire process on society as a whole.

The decision was reached by a 3–2 vote

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court’s decision was reached by a 3–2 vote. The presiding judge recommended dismissing the charges, and two other judges would also have ruled in favor of acquittal, but the majority reached a guilty verdict.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (Suomen evankelisluterilainen lähetyshiippakunta, Lhpk) is an independent lutheran church formed by its member congregations.