Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen granted UK visa after conference deadline passes

Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen has received approval for a UK visa, though the decision arrived too late for her to attend a religious freedom conference in Northern Ireland in person. Räsänen, who delivered her scheduled address remotely, had previously seen her Electronic Travel Authorisation cancelled by the UK Home Office without a stated reason. She subsequently applied for a full visa, which took over four weeks to process despite her providing specific travel dates.

Räsänen, a former Finnish interior minister, has suggested the initial travel restrictions were linked to her ongoing legal challenges in Finland regarding a pamphlet she authored on traditional marriage and sexuality. While she was acquitted by two lower courts, she was later convicted by the Finnish Supreme Court, a case currently under appeal at the European Court of Human Rights. Following the visa approval, Räsänen expressed gratitude to the UK authorities and stated she remains available for future speaking engagements regarding freedom of speech and religion.