A Finnish Parliament member prosecuted and convicted in her country for sharing biblical views recently warned Canada’s government what happens when religious speech is not protected.
Paivi Rasanen testified June 1 before the Canadian Senate Human Rights Committee in Ottawa, Canada regarding Bill C-9, Alliance Defending Freedom International reported.
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The bill “proposes to weaken protections for speech on religious matters in the Canadian criminal code,” ADF International explained. It “would enable the prosecution of religious speech if the courts consider that it ‘wilfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group.’”
Imprisonment would be the sentence.
Danger of ‘hate speech’ laws
Rasanen pointed to the danger of “hate speech” laws.
“[W]hen the state controls which ideas and beliefs may be expressed, democracy becomes fragile. My case reveals where this path can lead.”
She was prosecuted in Finland for sharing Christian beliefs about human sexuality and marriage in a 2019 tweet and radio debate and in a 2014 booklet for her church.
She was acquitted on all charges in 2022 and 2023, but the state prosecutor appealed. In March 2026, the Finnish Supreme Court, in a 3-2 decision, deemed her guilty of “insult” for the booklet, ADF International said.
Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola also was convicted.
ADF International supported Rasanen’s defense.
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