Brilliant!

 Christian politician Päivi Räsänen acquitted again.

Staff writer  14 November 2023 

Päivi Räsänen with Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International, which has supported her throughout her case.(Photo: ADF International)

Finnish politician and committed Christian, Päivi Räsänen, has been acquitted for the second time in a "hate speech" case. 

She was acquitted of all four charges by the Helsinki Court of Appeal on Tuesday along with Bishop Juhana Pohjola.

They were acquitted in March 2022 but were forced to stand trial again this year after the Finnish state prosecutor appealed. 

The decision handed down by the court on Tuesday said: "The Court of Appeal accepts the reasoning and conclusions of the district court's judgment.

"The Court of Appeal has no reason, on the basis of the evidence received at the main hearing, to assess the case in any respect differently from the District Court. There is therefore no reason to alter the final result of the district court's judgment."

The hate speech charges had related to comments made publicly by the pair in support of the biblical view of marriage and sexuality.

The Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF), which has defended them throughout their case, said they were "celebrating" the victory. 

"Today, we celebrate the necessary and common-sense decision of the Helsinki Court of Appeal to unanimously acquit Päivi and Bishop Pohjola," said Paul Coleman, ADF executive director. CT.