UK Bans Christian Politician from Entry

Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen says she has been barred from entering the United Kingdom after previously receiving approval to travel there, a development that comes as she continues to challenge legal rulings related to her public expression of Christian beliefs.

Räsänen had planned to travel to Northern Ireland in August to address a conference and meet with lawmakers. According to reports, she initially received an electronic travel authorization permitting her entry into the United Kingdom. That authorization was later revoked, forcing her to cancel or alter parts of her trip.

The Christian Post reported that British authorities did not provide an explanation for the decision.

The travel restriction also affected a recent return journey from California, where Räsänen had attended another conference. Rather than flying through London’s Heathrow Airport as originally planned, she changed her itinerary and traveled through Dallas instead.

The issue follows years of legal proceedings in Finland centered on Räsänen’s public statements about Christian teachings on marriage and sexuality.

Earlier this year, Finland’s Supreme Court upheld a conviction against Räsänen on charges of hate speech related to a 2004 pamphlet titled As Man and Woman He Created Them. The publication outlined biblical views on marriage and family and became the focus of a long-running criminal case, according to Alliance Defending Freedom International, which has supported her legal defense.

Räsänen also faced prosecution over a 2019 social media post in which she shared a screenshot of Romans 1:24-27, a passage from the New Testament that discusses same-sex relations. Prosecutors argued that the post constituted criminal hate speech, while Räsänen and her legal team maintained that it represented the peaceful expression of religious beliefs protected under freedom of speech and religion.

Reflecting on the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision, Räsänen said the consequences have extended well beyond the courtroom.

“The Supreme Court’s closely divided ruling has had unexpected consequences,” she said, according to The Christian Post.

“In addition to restricting freedom of expression, it has also created restrictions and difficulties related to travel and participation in meetings and conferences.”

She added that her greatest concern is the uncertainty the ruling may create for others who wish to express their religious convictions publicly.

“My greatest concern is that this decision has left many people with uncertainty, confusion and fear about the consequences of exercising their freedom of speech and religion in a peaceful manner, and about where the line lies between lawful and prohibited speech,” Räsänen said.

Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who was prosecuted alongside Räsänen for publishing the same pamphlet, has reported experiencing similar travel difficulties.

According to Pohjola, he received a notification stating that British authorities were satisfied he had been convicted of a criminal offense in the United Kingdom or overseas within the previous 12 months, leading to the denial of his entry request.

“This not only causes practical difficulties to serve as bishop in my church body and as chairman of the International Lutheran Council, but it also labels me as a criminal whom many countries want to prevent from entering,” Pohjola said.