FRC's Tony Perkins Statement on Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen's Guilty Verdict

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2026 — Earlier today, in a narrow 3–2 decision, the Finnish Supreme Court found parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen, and Bishop Juhana Pohjola guilty of so-called "hate speech" for promoting natural marriage in a 20-year-old pamphlet Räsänen authored while marriage was still defined under Finnish law as between a man and a woman. The two were previously unanimously acquitted on all charges by two lower courts.

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Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who previously served as the Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, released the following statement in reaction:

In 2023, Perkins and Congressman Chip Roy met with Finnish Ambassador to the U.S. Mikko Hautala regarding Räsänen's case and also co-authored a column demanding justice for Räsänen.