Case Dismissed, Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen Exonerated

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW206673746 BCX4"> <p><span data-contrast="none">The lawsuit against a member of the Finnish Parliament accused of violating a law prohibiting “</span><a href= "https://wng.org/opinions/standing-trial-for-quoting-the-bible-1694000839"><span data-contrast="none">War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity,</span></a><span data-contrast= "none">” has been dismissed. Päivi Räsänen’s crime was quoting Bible verses in support of traditional understandings of human nature and sexuality. </span><span data-ccp-props= "{"134233279":true,"201341983":0,"335559731":720,"335559739":0,"335559740":480}"> </span></p> <p><a href= "https://adfinternational.org/breaking-finnish-parliamentarian-found-not-guilty-of-hate-speech-for-bible-tweet-and-other-expressions/"> <span data-contrast="none">According to a state prosecutor, </span></a><span data-contrast="none">the problem wasn’t citing the Bible, but “Räsänen’s interpretation and opinion about the Bible verses that (were) criminal.” In other words, what Christians have always believed ...</span> <span data-ccp-props= "{"134233279":true,"201341983":0,"335559731":720,"335559739":0,"335559740":480}">  </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">In an Alliance Defending Freedom International</span> <a href= "https://adfinternational.org/breaking-finnish-parliamentarian-found-not-guilty-of-hate-speech-for-bible-tweet-and-other-expressions/"> <span data-contrast="none">press release,</span></a> <span data-contrast="none">Räsänen said:</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233279":true,"201341983":0,"335559731":720,"335559739":0,"335559740":480}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">"It isn’t a crime to tweet a Bible verse, or to engage in public discourse with a Christian perspective. The attempts made to prosecute me for expressing my beliefs have resulted in an immensely trying four years, but my hope is that the result will stand as a key precedent to protect the human right to free speech. I sincerely hope other innocent people will be spared the same orde