Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen Receives Dominus Vitae Award in Iowa

Finnish Member of Parliament and former Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen was honored with the Dominus Vitae Award by the U.S.-based ministry Lutherans For Life. The award, presented at the organization’s annual gala in Des Moines, Iowa, recognizes Räsänen’s advocacy for biblical ethics and the sanctity of human life. During the ceremony, Räsänen expressed gratitude for the recognition and noted the importance of American efforts to defend the rights of the vulnerable.

Räsänen’s recognition follows a lengthy legal battle in Finland regarding her public expression of traditional Christian views on marriage and sexuality. In March, the Supreme Court of Finland issued a 3-2 decision convicting her of hate speech related to a 2004 booklet she authored, resulting in an 1,800-euro fine. Räsänen, who maintains that her statements are protected by religious freedom, filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights on July 24 to challenge the conviction.