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Case against a woman MP who tweeted a Bible verse
A former government minister and current MP in Finland has formally been charged over a tweet she posted about homosexuality.
Päivi Räsänen is accused of inciting hate towards a group of people.
Back in 2019 she posted a picture of her Bible open at Romans 1: 24-27 which describes homosexuality as ‘shameful’. In the post she questioned the decision of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland, of which she was a member, to support a local gay pride event.
Following complaints, she was questioned by police and an investigation was launched into her actions.
The results of that action have led to her being charged over the tweet as well as comments she made on TV in 2018 and a pamphlet about marriage which she wrote in 2004. All charges are linked to ‘hate speech’.
In a statement, Finland’s prosecutor general claimed the MP’s actions were derogatory and discriminatory while her statements had violated the equality and dignity of gay people.
Vowing to fight the charges, Ms Räsänen said: “I will go to the court with a peaceful and brave mind, trusting that Finland is a constitutional state where the freedoms of speech and religion, which both are guaranteed in international agreements and in our constitution, are respected.
“A conviction based on the Christian faith is more than a superficial opinion. The early Christians did not renounce their faith in lions’ caves, why should I then renounce my faith in a court room.
“I will not step back from my conviction nor from my writings. I do not apologise for the writings of the Apostle Paul either. I am ready to defend freedom of speech and religion as far as is necessary.”
The politicians is being supported by religious freedom organisation ADF International.
Raising concern over the charges, executive director Paul Coleman said: “Freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy.
“The Finnish Prosecutor General’s decision to bring these charges against Dr Räsänen creates a culture of fear and censorship. It is sobering that such cases are becoming all too common throughout Europe. If committed civil servants like Päivi Räsänen are criminally charged for voicing their deeply held beliefs, it creates a chilling effect for everyone’s right to speak freely.”
Päivi Räsänen trained as a doctor before becoming an MP in 1995. From 2011 to 2015 she served as minister of the interior, serving within the Finnish government.
Three people, including two students, were shot Thursday at an Idaho middle school, according to officials.
At a press conference, Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson said the suspect is a sixth-grade girl from Idaho Falls who is a student at Rigby Middle School, where the shooting took place. Initial reports had incorrectly identified the suspect as male.
Anderson said the unnamed student allegedly drew a handgun from her backpack and shot three people — one inside and two outside — before a teacher disarmed her.
The suspect is in custody at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and may be charged with attempted murder pending results of the investigation, according to Mark Taylor the county’s prosecuting attorney.
The shooting victims were struck in their extremities and are expected to survive, but may require surgery, officials said
Three ambulances initially responded to Rigby Middle School after authorities learned of the shooting about 9:15 a.m. MT, Idaho Falls Fire Department spokeswoman Kerry Hammon said.
Authorities took the injured to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where they were listed as stable.
“Today we had the worst nightmare a school district could encounter. We had a school shooting here at Rigby Middle School,” Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin said in a statement. “What we know so far is the shooter has been apprehended. There is no further threat to the students.”
“I am praying for the lives and safety of those involved in today’s tragic events,” Idaho Gov. Brad Little tweeted. “Thank you to our law enforcement agencies and school leaders for their efforts in responding to the incident. I am staying updated on the situation.”
Bamako: A mother who miraculously gave birth to nine children in a single delivery to the scientific world Halima Sisse, 25, gave birth to nine children. A native of Mali, an African country, she gave birth to nine babies by caesarean section. Rarely, nine babies are born in a single birth.
Even with so many babies in the womb, it is common for many babies to die before they are fully grown. A scan of Halima’s pregnancy revealed that she had seven babies in her womb. Doctors said special care was needed as this was a rarity. Halima was then flown to Morocco.
However, Halima gave birth to 9 children, including 2 babies who were not even seen on the scans, even when doctors gave birth. Halima gave birth to five girls and four boys, all of whom are healthy, Malian Health Minister Fanta Cibi said.
He added that the girl and children would be returned only after a few weeks.
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