Family Research Council Inc.

03/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/26/2026 11:25

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2026
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, (866) FRC-NEWS or (866)-372-6397

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- 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.

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.

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