“Free speech is again under threat on this continent in a way it hasn’t been since the nightmare of Europe’s authoritarian regimes just a few decades ago,” the head of ADF International said.
It might seem overblown to call this appeals hearing the Trial of the Century. It’s not. The ability of people in every society of the West to speak freely about what they believe is true is on trial.
It was exactly one year ago, on a cold, dark winter evening in January 2022, when Paul Coleman arrived in Helsinki for the modern-day heresy trial of Finnish MP Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola.
What started as an allegedly rare and ‘kindly’ way to ease the suffering of the terminally ill has ballooned into a government program offering death as an escape from loneliness, depression, or even poverty and homelessness.
The law would make it illegal to tell a woman seeking an abortion that help, if she needs it—baby supplies, housing, or a network of support—is available to her.
When someone faces criminal charges for voicing their beliefs, everyone—whether they agree or not—should pay attention. The reality is that if the government can threaten and punish Caroline or Päivi for their convictions, they can punish anyone.
