Finland Ends Prosecution of Two Citizens Who Publicly Expressed Biblical Views

‘It is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts.”

So wrote a Finnish court this week when it dismissed charges of “hate speech” against the Finnish politician Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran bishop Juhana Pohjola. The unanimous ruling in the case rejected the zealous attempts by the Finnish prosecutor to punish, shame, and censor anyone who might state opinions that blaspheme against orthodox secularism. The court even ordered the prosecution to pay more than 60,000 euros in legal costs.

SN

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Sean Nelson

Sean Nelson is an international human-rights lawyer serving as legal counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International.

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‘It is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts.”

So wrote a Finnish court this week when it dismissed charges of “hate speech” against the Finnish politician Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran bishop Juhana Pohjola. The unanimous ruling in the case rejected the zealous attempts by the Finnish prosecutor to punish, shame, and censor anyone who might state opinions that blaspheme against orthodox secularism. The court even ordered the prosecution to pay more than 60,000 euros in legal costs.