WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today urged the U.S. State Department’s Ambassador-at-Large in the Office of International Religious Freedom, Rashad Hussain, and Douglas Hickey, the U.S. Ambassador to Finland, to renew concerns over the Finnish government’s second prosecution of Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola.
Finnish Christians continue to be the targets of prosecution from Finland’s government for expressing their sincere religious views in a non-violent manner. In response to the prosecution, the Finnish court of appeals has scheduled a hearing for August 2023.
“Despite Räsänen and Pohjola's being acquitted, overzealous prosecutors will once again have the opportunity to convict the Christians for expressing their orthodox beliefs. . . . This is the worrisome situation that Dr. Räsänen and Dr. Pohjola now face—come August, these Christians will once again be put on trial for expressing their beliefs,” said Kennedy.
“Imprisoning Räsänen and Pohjola would have chilling consequences for free speech everywhere. It is bad enough that police investigated Räsänen and Pohjola for months, while their theology was questioned and their public statements scrutinized—going all the way back to a pamphlet they published in 2004. These actions alone damaged their reputations and placed immense stress on their families. Taking the next step and condemning these Christians to prison would send the message that Finland does not permit certain religious viewpoints and put the citizens of countries with similar laws on notice. A guilty verdict would chill free expression in Finland and elsewhere by creating an atmosphere of self-censorship,” he explained.
Today’s letter raising concerns about the pending re-prosecution of these Christians is here.
Kennedy voiced concerns over this prosecution with the U.S. State Department and has repeatedly urged the department to engage the Finnish government over its refusal to accept the acquittal of Räsänen and Pohjola.
According to the State Department this May, the U.S. embassy in Finland will continue to engage on this issue with Finnish officials and religious communities.
Background:
Räsänen and Pohjola were unanimously acquitted of criminal liability for expressing their religious beliefs on March 30, 2022, and the court ordered Finnish prosecutors to pay nearly $67,000 in legal fees. The Finnish government, however, appealed the acquittal.
Kennedy originally wrote to the State Department in March 2022 to raise concerns about Finland’s prosecution of non-violent expressions of faith. The prosecution of Räsänen and Pohjola occurs while Europe continues to witness anti-Christian hate crimes and hostility toward Christian-led organizations throughout the continent.
Kennedy’s March 2022 letter is available here, and his December 2022 letter is available here.
The State Department’s May 2023 response is available here.
