UK Revokes Travel Authorization for Finnish Lawmaker Convicted of Hate Speech

Finnish lawmaker Päivi Räsänen stated that British authorities canceled her U.K. Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) without explanation, following her conviction for hate speech in Finland. Räsänen, a member of Finland's Parliament and former interior minister, had planned to speak at events in Northern Ireland next month. She is currently appealing her conviction to the European Court of Human Rights.

The cancellation message she received indicated that the information provided in her ETA application suggested she was not eligible for the authorization. Räsänen expressed concerns that the ruling and subsequent travel restriction could impact freedom of speech and faith.

Räsänen was convicted in March 2026 by Finland's Supreme Court for statements made in a 2004 pamphlet titled "Male and Female He Created Them," which discussed biblical views on marriage and sexuality. She was also charged for a 2019 social media post criticizing her church's sponsorship of an LGBT event and for remarks made during a 2019 radio discussion. Prosecutors cited Finland's criminal code regarding agitation against a minority group.

Along with Räsänen, Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who published the booklet, was also denied a travel authorization to the UK. Räsänen reported that the cancellation has already affected her travel plans, forcing her to reroute a recent trip from California to avoid connecting through London Heathrow Airport.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which has represented Räsänen, called the refusal of travel authorization an "authoritarian attempt to suppress any speech or speaker they disagree with." The organization stated that the U.K. government has shown "contempt for freedom of expression."

Räsänen has contacted the U.K. Home Office and Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for the Home Department, seeking a response but has not yet received one. She noted her longstanding ties to the United Kingdom through her parliamentary work, including membership in the Finland–United Kingdom friendship group and previous visits in official capacities.