Christian lawmaker says UK barred her from entering country after Finland ‘hate speech’ conviction
Finnish Politician Faces UK Entry Ban Following Religious Speech Conviction
Explorehotelworld.com – Päivi Räsänen, a prominent Finnish Christian politician and former interior minister, has discovered that British authorities have withdrawn her travel authorization to the United Kingdom. This development comes in the wake of her recent conviction for hate speech, which stemmed from statements she made expressing traditional biblical perspectives on marriage and sexuality. The situation has sparked renewed debate among religious freedom advocates regarding the potential repercussions of this legal ruling.
Travel Authorization Cancelled Without Warning
Räsänen, who currently serves as a member of Finland's Parliament, explained that her previously approved U.K. Electronic Travel Authorization was unexpectedly cancelled. The cancellation occurred without any detailed explanation from British officials, creating uncertainty about her ability to attend scheduled speaking engagements in Northern Ireland during the upcoming month. She is now pursuing an appeal of her conviction through the European Court of Human Rights.
A screenshot of the official cancellation notification, which was shared with Fox News Digital, clearly stated: "Dear ETA Customer, The information you provided in your ETA application suggests that you are not eligible for an ETA and it has been cancelled. If you still want to travel to the UK, you will need to apply or reapply for one of the following: Electronic Travel Authorisation Standard visitor visa Transit visa Temporary work – creative worker visa."
The Path to Conviction
According to Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal organization representing Räsänen in her ongoing litigation, the controversy began in 2019 when she publicly criticized her church's sponsorship of an LGBT event. Her criticism appeared in a post on the social media platform X and included a direct quotation from Romans 1. Finnish prosecutors subsequently brought charges against her for "agitation against a minority group" under the nation's criminal code.
The prosecution cited multiple pieces of evidence, including the aforementioned social media post, a church pamphlet Räsänen authored in 2004 addressing marriage and sexuality, and comments she made during a 2019 radio discussion. On March 26, 2026, a Finnish Supreme Court delivered a narrow 3–2 majority decision convicting her of these statements.
"I tried to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from the United Kingdom authorities because of my future travels to UK," Räsänen told Fox News Digital in a statement. "As part of the application process, I was asked to disclose any criminal convictions within the past 12 months. At first, I got a positive answer on 17th June, but on 3rd July I got a shocking message from GOV.UK that my application was cancelled, 'The information you provided in your ETA application suggests that you are not eligible for an ETA and it has been cancelled.'"
Broader Implications for Religious Freedom
Räsänen's booklet, titled "Male and Female He Created Them," serves as the central document in her case. She was sentenced to pay fines equivalent to 20 days' wages. Beyond the immediate legal consequences, she argues that authorities failed to properly consider her fundamental rights to free speech and religious freedom as guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The cancellation has already created practical complications for her travel plans. Räsänen revealed that she was forced to reroute a recent return journey from California through Dallas rather than connecting through London's Heathrow Airport. She had originally intended to travel to Northern Ireland in August to address the Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention on topics of free speech and faith.
"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 faith in a peaceful manner, and about where the line lies between lawful and prohibited speech," Räsänen said. "Also Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who was convicted alongside me because of publishing my booklet, has been denied the travel authorization ETA."
Despite these challenges, Räsänen expressed confidence in divine guidance. "However, I trust that all of this is in God's hands, and I pray that He leads and guides in the way He wills. During these seven years, I have witnessed how the Lord miraculously turns evil things into good."
Her longstanding connections to the United Kingdom include membership in the Finland–United Kingdom friendship group and previous visits in her capacity as both a parliamentarian and interior minister. Currently serving on Finland's Foreign Affairs Committee, she plans to resume her official duties in the U.K. when circumstances allow.