RFI Senior Fellow Paul Marshall commented on the astonishing decision of Finland’s Supreme Court, which found that “former Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen [was] guilty under a ‘War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity’ statute for a booklet on homosexual relations that she had written and published 22 years before.” Her colleague, Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, was also found guilty.

Writing for ReligionUnplugged, Marshall further noted: “In addition, the Supreme Court ordered in their March 26 decision that the book be removed from being sold online and destroyed.” Moreover, “Under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, the Finnish order now applies to all of Europe — and perhaps even to the United States and beyond.” Broadening his analysis, Marshall highlights additional threats to freedom of religion and freedom of speech in the West, namely in Canada, Iceland, and the European Union.

Read the full article: “Religious Freedom Vs. Hate Speech: Finland’s Conviction Of Päivi Räsänen Reverberates Beyond Europe.”