The Finnish government spent years punishing Christian parliamentarians who publicly expressed Biblical views on marriage and sexuality. Dr. Paivi Resenen fought back resolutely and won.
Desperate to make an example of the high-profile opponent, state prosecutors, in their latest He appealed the unanimous acquittal.
Mr. Lehsenen is now heading to a showdown in the Nordic nation’s highest court to find out whether inconvenient scripture and Christian beliefs are still legal in Finland.
bible on trial
Dr. Paivi Rassenen is a devout Christian, physician, grandmother, and member of the Finnish parliament. She previously served as the country’s interior minister.
Throughout her career, Raasenen has been open and unabashed about her orthodox religious views on life and morality, especially marriage, sex, and abortion. Her outlook and intellectual consistency have made her a popular target on the left both inside and outside of government.
On June 17, 2019, Rassenen posted a photo that angered LGBT activists.
Romans 1:24-27 Online in reference to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s official participation in the Helsinki Pride event.
Disturbing passages from the New Testament shared by members of Congress
province in english, “Therefore God also delivered them over to uncleanness, to dishonor their own bodies, by the desires of their own hearts. Who turned the truth of God into a lie, and destroyed the blessed creation.” I worshiped and served the creature more than the Lord.” Forever, Amen. For this reason God gave them over to base affections. For even their women have been transformed into something contrary to nature. And in the same way, men, too, departed from their natural use of women, and were inflamed with their desire for her. Others toil unseemly things with men, and take upon themselves the consequences of their failures. ”
The MP accompanied the photo with a note that read: “How does #Ramatu, the doctrine of the Church, agree with the fact that shame and sin are raised as a matter of pride?”
Police subsequently launched an investigation into the Christian lawmaker.
Lehsenen was indicted under the Finnish Criminal Code’s “War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity” section and was charged with three counts of incitement against minorities.
report Eel.
“I do not consider myself guilty of threatening, defaming, or insulting any group of people. All of this is based on the Bible’s teachings on marriage and sexuality,” she said shortly after the indictment.
In addition to charging Mr. Lehsenen with quoting the Bible online and elsewhere to express traditional views, prosecutors also accused Mr. Lehsenen of quoting the Bible online and elsewhere, along with Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission of Finland, in a 2004 document they co-authored. The same lawmaker was indicted in relation to the 2007 pamphlet.the men and women he created. ”
In March 2022, three judges of the Helsinki District Court
reportedly The court ruled that all charges against Resenen were baseless, noting that “while the speech was offensive in parts, it was not hate speech.”
State prosecutor Anu Mantila clearly failed to persuade the court.
quarrel “While it is permissible to believe anything about the Bible in your heart, it is illegal to express it publicly,” the Diet member said.
The state appealed this decision and, in August 2023, took Lehsenen to the Helsinki Court of Appeal.
heretic of helsinki
This time, Mantilla argued, “Although he can quote the Bible, Resenen’s interpretations and opinions on Bible passages are the crime.”
report Christian advocacy group ADF International assisted in the lawmaker’s legal defense.
During cross-examination, Ms. Mantilla was also repeatedly asked whether she intended to update or change her comments on marriage and sexuality, particularly those in a 2004 church brochure.
Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, said: “This was the focus of the prosecutor’s questioning of Lehsenen: Would she recant her beliefs? The answer was no. “He did not deny it. The cross-examination was similar in every respect.” Regarding the medieval “heresy” trials, it was implied that Resenen had “blasphemed” the dominant orthodoxy of the time.
In November, the Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the district court’s unanimous acquittal, stating, “Based on the evidence received in the trial court, there is no reason to give a different assessment than the district court on any point.” ” was recognized. Therefore, there is no reason to change the final outcome of the district court’s decision. ”
The Court of Appeal ordered the prosecution to cover the legal costs incurred by Rassenen and Pohoyola. The court gave prosecutors until January 2024 to exhaust their last option of appealing to the Finnish Supreme Court.
final battle
Supreme Court of Finland
granted On Friday, state prosecutors granted permission to appeal the Helsinki Court of Appeal’s unanimous verdict, which will see Lehsenen go on trial for the third time.
AFD International
shown State prosecutors have appealed the lower court’s ruling on only two of the three previous charges: the Bible tweet and the 2004 pro-marriage pamphlet. Bishop Juhana Pojola will also stand trial over the publication of the pamphlet.
Ms Lehsenen said in a statement that she was of “peace of mind” and “ready to continue defending freedom of speech and freedom of religion before the Supreme Court and, if necessary, before the European Court of Human Rights”. .
“In my case, the investigation lasted almost five years and involved false accusations, several lengthy police interrogations totaling more than 13 hours, and preparations for a court hearing, a district court hearing, and a hearing in the Court of Appeal.” said Christian. Member of Parliament. “This wasn’t just about my opinion, it was about everyone’s freedom of expression. I hope the Supreme Court’s decision means others won’t have to go through the same ordeal. has considered it a privilege and an honor to protect freedom of expression. Expression is a fundamental right in a democracy.
Prosecutors want to impose huge fines on the defendants and order the censorship of the bishop’s publications.
Coleman recently
Participated “Despite such a clear and unanimous ruling from the lower courts, after almost five long years, the National Conservative Congress, which Belgian Socialist Party officials tried to force to close, “The state’s insistence on continuing this prosecution is alarming. This process is punitive.” In such cases, the result is a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of all citizens observing it. ”
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