UK Cancels Päivi Räsänen's Travel Authorization After 20-Day-Wage Hate Speech Conviction
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 21
UK Cancels Päivi Räsänen's Travel Authorization After 20-Day-Wage Hate Speech Conviction
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 21
Summary
British authorities revoked Finnish lawmaker Päivi Räsänen's previously approved UK Electronic Travel Authorization, threatening her planned August speaking trip to Northern Ireland and already forcing her to reroute a recent US return journey away from Heathrow.
A July 3 cancellation notice followed a June 17 approval after Räsänen disclosed a criminal conviction within the past 12 months; she said the UK gave no further explanation and told her to apply for a visa instead.
Räsänen was convicted on March 26 by Finland's Supreme Court in a 3-2 ruling over a 2004 pamphlet and 2019 comments on marriage and sexuality, receiving fines equal to 20 days' wages.
She is appealing to the European Court of Human Rights, while saying Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola—convicted alongside her—was also denied UK travel authorization, widening concerns among religious-freedom advocates about speech-related travel consequences.