The court found that certain statements in the 2004 pamphlet constituted criminal ‘insult’ under Finland’s hate speech statutes.
A 2004 pamphlet explaining traditional Christian views of sex and marriage is “hate speech,” Finland’s Supreme Court ruled on March 26, fining a member of parliament, a Lutheran bishop, and a church group hundreds of dollars. The verdict, the culmination of years of prosecutions, sends a chilling message on free speech, advocates warn.
The Supreme Court of Finland delivered a split decision in a closely watched case involving Paivi Rasanen, a longtime lawmaker and former interior minister. Also convicted was Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, whose church foundation published the pamphlet.
The court unanimously upheld Rasanen’s acquittal over a 2019 social media post quoting the Bible but convicted her for statements contained in a church pamphlet first published more than two decades ago. Finnish law allows prosecutors to appeal acquittals.
The conviction is for “making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group.”
The case, backed by legal advocacy group ADF International, has drawn international attention as a test of the boundaries between hate speech laws and religious expression in Europe.
Rasanen, speaking at a press conference following the ruling, called the verdict “a difficult and disappointingly mixed ruling” and warned it creates uncertainty about fundamental freedoms. She said the decision “sends a troubling and contradictory message about the state of fundamental freedoms in Finland.”
The court found that certain statements in the 2004 pamphlet—written to outline a traditional Christian understanding of marriage and sexuality—constituted criminal “insult” under Finland’s hate speech statutes. The ruling requires fines for Rasanen, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, and the church-affiliated foundation that published the material.
According to defense attorney Matti Sankamo, the penalties include income-based fines of 1,800 euros ($1,560) for Rasanen, 1,100 euros ($1,270) for Pohjola, and approximately 5,000 euros ($5,770) for the church foundation. He also said portions of the pamphlet deemed unlawful must be removed from circulation.
The conviction comes after two lower courts unanimously acquitted Rasanen of all charges, highlighting divisions within Finland’s judiciary. Legal observers noted the Supreme Court decision was narrowly split, underscoring the contentious nature of the case.
Prosecutors argued that specific language in the pamphlet—including a statement describing homosexuality as a “psychosexual disorder”—met the threshold for criminal liability. Defense attorneys countered that the document must be understood in its full religious and historical context, not through isolated phrases.
Rasanen said the prosecution of decades-old material raises broader concerns.
“This case has never been only about me,” she said. “It has always been about whether Finland will remain a country where people are free to speak, write, and live according to their conscience, without fear or criminal prosecution.”
