European Evangelical Alliance sends letter to Finnish government expressing “dismay” over Päivi Räsänen case

May 14, 2021 by Jill

from Evangelical Focus:

The Spanish Evangelical Alliance writes to the Finnish ambassador, saying the court process against Päivi Räsänen is “a worrying step back that goes in the opposite direction of the Europe we all want to build together”.

“The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) defends freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression for people of all faiths and none. These human rights are vital pillars of democracy”, says a letter sent to the government of Finland this week.

The body representing 23 million evangelical Christians across Europe expressed its “dismay” over the treatment of member of parliament and former Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen, “who faces prosecution and up to 2 years in prison for 3 separate cases for expressing biblical views”.

Since 2019, the member politician and committed Christian, has been questioned by the police several times for an investigation of the General Prosecutor, who filed charges against Räsänen for hate speech against homosexuals on 29 April 2021.

In the letter, the EEA points out: “In the case of a brochure published in 2004, the police added that, if it was decided that biblical views were considered per se to count as agitation, then it would have to become a crime to make the Bible available. Clearly, such a situation would be ludicrous”.

“Foundational issues of freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression are both at stake”, says the EEA, a reality that clashes with the Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. According to this legislation, “people have the right to express their views in public”.

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