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Finland raises Räsänen post with American ambassador

The US embassy criticised the Finnish supreme court's conviction of Päivi Räsänen as a troubling precedent for religious and free speech rights.

Päivi ja Niilo Räsänen median edessä.
Pictured here: Päivi Räsänen speaking to the media during a supreme court hearing in October 2025. Image: Silja Viitala / Yle
  • STT
  • Yle News

Finland's Foreign Ministry said it has held talks with the US Ambassador to Finland Howard Brodie regarding a social media post by the embassy, concerning the conviction of MP Päivi Räsänen (CD).

The ministry reported the discussions on X on Monday, posting that relations between the two countries are close, noting that Finland has an independent judiciary.

Last week, the Supreme Court fined Räsänen for incitement against a minority group. The conviction stemmed from a publication in which she described homosexuality as a psychosexual development disorder.

Following the court ruling, the US embassy said it found Räsänen's conviction "a troubling ruling for religious freedom and freedom of expression."

A Washington Post editorial also slammed the Finnish Supreme Court incitement ruling, saying: "Finland is often ranked as the happiest country on Earth, but that's only if you like cold winters and harsh limitations on freedom of expression".