HELSINKI, Finland — Though a court dismissed all “hate speech” charges against a Lutheran member of parliament, a Finnish state prosecutor plans to continue criminal proceedings.
On March 30, the Helsinki District Court unanimously acquitted Paivi Rasanen, a medical doctor, member of parliament since 1995 and minister of the interior from 2011–15. The court further ordered the prosecution to pay more than 60,000 euros (about $64,000) in legal fees, the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom International reported.
In Finland the prosecution can appeal “not guilty” verdicts through the judicial system, even to the Supreme Court.
“After my full exoneration in court, I am dismayed that the prosecutor will not let this campaign against me drop,” Rasanen said.
In April 2021, Finland’s Prosecutor General charged Rasanen with hate speech, though the police had strongly recommended not pursuing the case.
The three charges against Rasanen stemmed from the sharing of her faith-based views on marriage and human sexuality in a 2019 radio debate, a 2004 pamphlet and a 2019 tweet in which she was critical of her church’s sponsorship of the LGBT “Pride 2019” event.
Bishop Juhana Pohjola also was charged because he had published one of Rasanen’s pamphlets for his congregation 17 years ago. On March 30, the court dismissed charges against him as well, ADF International reported.
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