The Finnish court has rejected the legislature’s accusations of homosexual comments
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HELSINKI, March 30 (Reuters) – (March 30 story, corrected and deleted reference to 2019 statement on homosexuality not given by Rasanen)
On Wednesday, the district court dismissed a lawsuit against gays by a Finnish Christian Democrat legislator when he described homosexuality as a “developmental disorder” and a sin.
In an unprecedented case in Finland, the Helsinki District Court had to weigh up the importance of freedom of expression and whether borrowing the Bible could be considered a crime against fundamental rights and the protection of minorities.
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Doctor and former Interior Minister Paivi Rasanen called homosexuality a “developmental disorder” in an online opinion letter in 2004 and a “shame and sin” on Twitter in 2019, the prosecutor said. Read more
Rasanen, who has been a Member of Parliament for the small center-right party since 1995, appealed to religious freedom and denied any wrongdoing, saying the prosecutor’s allegations were unfounded.
“It is clear that Christians who adhere to the teachings of the Bible have the right to participate in public debate,” he told Reuters in January.
Wednesday’s verdict is not final, as it can still be appealed to a higher court.
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Reported by Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen; Edited by Gareth Jones
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