I am reaching out to address Päivi Räsänen's situation, as she faces persecution for defending freedom of speech and religion ✝️. 

If you are not yet familiar with her, it's worth knowing that Päivi  Räsänen has been a member of the Finnish Parliament since 1995. She led the Christian Democrats from 2004 to 2015 and held the position of Finland's Minister of the Interior from 2011 to 2015.

Mrs Räsänen was accused for the following reasons:

• As a devoted member of the Finnish Lutheran Church, she raised questions on Twitter (now X) about the church leadership's official endorsement of the LGBT event “Pride 2019.” She accompanied her post with an image of Bible verses from the New Testament's book of Romans 1:24-27.✝️ 
• After the tweet, additional investigations were initiated against Räsänen, including scrutiny of a church leaflet she authored nearly two decades earlier. It discusses biblical views on marriage and sexuality. 
• In December 2019, she participated in a radio program where she humorously expressed her views on homosexuality. - The charges related to the radio appearance were dismissed.

Her fight continues, even though it seemed like she had already achieved victory in November 2023.

Although the District Court and the Court of Appeal dismissed all charges against Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola from the Finnish Christian Party, the prosecutor announced in January that she would appeal the acquittal of Päivi Räsänen for the second time!

This means that despite Päivi Räsänen's multiple victories in court, she continues to face legal challenges, highlighting the personal toll and persistent scrutiny she endures in her fight to defend her religious beliefs and for the right to freedom of speech.

In the photo, the CitizenGO team shows support for Päivi Räsänenbefore
her trial at the Supreme Court in Helsinki in September 2023.

I am sorry to have to inform you of these events, especially as I see religious freedom, freedom of speech, and other liberties gradually being taken away from us worldwide...

In the context of Päivi Räsänen's case, I would like to illustrate to you what life is like in a country governed by censorship. I was born and raised in communist Poland. After the fall of communism in 1989, I hoped that from then on we would enjoy full freedom of speech and that I would always be able to express my views without fear of repercussions. 

Unfortunately, it turns out that our freedom is still under threat.

During communist times, freedom of speech was clearly limited. The government in Poland controlled the media, censoring information and suppressing any criticism. People lived in fear of expressing their opinions, afraid of reprisals from the authorities.

Since childhood, I was taught that specific topics can only be discussed at home, and some are better left undiscussed altogether…

Parents in many families were afraid to discuss certain topics with their children, fearing that they might accidentally reveal the parents' forbidden beliefs, for example, at school. 

I still remember how careful I had to be about what I said or wrote...

Religious freedom was also severely restricted. Communist authorities in Poland sought to diminish the influence of the Church, promoting atheism and limiting religious activities.

If someone wanted to advance their career or receive promotions, they had to join the communist party and couldn't attend church. Unfriendly colleagues at work would report to the company's management if they discovered that someone was a religious person attending religious services... Such a person would then face unpleasant consequences.

Looking at cases like Päivi Räsänen's, we see how important it is for us to be vigilant and proactive in defending our rights. 

We cannot allow history to repeat itself. We cannot be limited in expressing our beliefs and religious practices.

I encourage you to support Päivi Räsänen and those fighting to preserve our freedoms. 

It's important to remember the words of Ronald Reagan, which serve as a powerful reminder of the responsibility each of us carries to uphold and protect the liberties we cherish, ensuring they are preserved for future generations: 

"Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. 

It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. 

And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again."

Together, we can defend our fundamental freedoms.