A landmark case in Finland has made global waves over free speech and faith. Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen now stands before the Supreme Court of Finland, accused of “hate speech” under Finland’s criminal code for sharing a Bible verse in a tweet and publishing a pamphlet about Christian teachings on marriage and sexuality.

Räsänen had been unanimously acquitted by the Helsinki District Court (2022) and the Court of Appeal (2023). They both found that her expressions fell within protected free speech and religious freedom.

Nevertheless, the prosecution has appealed to Finland’s highest court, seeking fines of around €10,000 and censorship of the tweet and pamphlet, which was authored with Räsänen’s co-defendant, the Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola.

Räsänen’s statement before the court hearing captured the stakes: “My case will show whether quoting the Bible can become a crime in a free country.”

This is not only about one politician or one social media post – it strikes at the foundation of free expression, especially when that expression is rooted in faith and religious belief.

The parallels with Australia are striking. Here, Christians like Matthew Squires have faced dismissal by their employers for openly expressing their faith, and the government has censored social media posts that go against an accepted ideological narrative from people like Chris Elston.

HRLA has assisted these individuals and continues to work hard to ensure that Australians are not punished for living in accordance with conscience and belief.

The Finnish case reminds us how vulnerable freedom of religion and speech can become when ordinary expression of Christian faith is recast as a punishable offence. If Räsänen is convicted, the precedent will extend far beyond Finland. Christian citizens throughout Europe – and even here in Australia – will face even greater uncertainty about whether they may be silenced for what they believe and say.

At HRLA, our mission is to defend the freedom of Australians to express their faith without risk of legal or professional consequences. Whether a Finnish politician or an Australian employee or university student, the right to speak from conscience must be protected.

The outcome of this case will show whether Finnish courts think quoting Scripture should be protected, or if even quiet, faithful speech should be punished as a crime.

We believe Australia must heed the warning signs and act now to protect free speech, religious freedom, and the dignity of all people of faith.