Veteran Christian Democrat politician Päivi Räsänen is facing three charges of incitement to hatred in Finland, a situation that stems from her public remarks regarding homosexuality.
On Wednesday, Räsänen is set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C. The invitation comes as an opportunity for her to share the challenges she has encountered following her indictment back home. The charges were based on both her written and spoken statements about homosexual issues.
Although Räsänen was acquitted at both the district and appeal court levels, the matter is still not settled, as Finland’s Supreme Court is currently reviewing the case.
The hearing is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. local time in Washington, which will be 5 p.m. in Finland. According to the House Judiciary’s official website, this session aims to shed light on how European online regulations, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act and the UK’s Online Safety Act, pose threats to free speech rights for Americans.
Joining Räsänen in front of the committee will be Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, well-known for his contentious views on transgender issues, and barrister Lorcan Price, who is affiliated with the Alliance Defending Freedom.
The Räsänen case has garnered significant attention among conservative Christian circles in the United States, with organizations like ADF International providing substantial support for her defense throughout the trial.