Litigation Paralegal

This is how the Christian conservative organization that supported Päivi Räsänen reacted to the court's verdict. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has considered Räsänen's trial as an example of the narrowing of freedom of speech and religion. Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen's (Christian Democrats) verdict from the Supreme Court has aroused indignation in the international Christian conservative organization that supports her. The verdict came from a pamphlet written by Räsänen and published in printed form in 2004: 'He created them male and female. Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian view of humanity.' The court found that Räsänen was guilty of incitement against an ethnic group when she republished the pamphlet on her own Facebook page in 2019. The international Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has considered Räsänen's trial as an example of the narrowing of freedom of speech and religion. The organization issued a press release on Thursday after the court's decision. Alliance Defending Freedom is an extreme conservative Christian organization known for opposing abortion and the rights of sexual minorities. According to Executive Director Paul Coleman, the verdict creates a threat to freedom of speech. In turn, the organization's CEO Kristen Waggoner stated in the press release that 'punishing peaceful expression, especially when it is based on deeply held religious convictions, undermines the foundation of free societies'. Räsänen told the media on Thursday that she needs to take a time-out to review the decision and its justifications. However, she said she is seriously considering filing an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. Räsänen spoke as a witness in early February at the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in Washington. She described her legal process in Finland during the hearing. The chairman of the media self-regulation body, the Council for Mass Media, Eero Hyvönen, commented at the time that he felt the Member of Parliament was used as a pawn. Räsänen said she received an invitation to the hearing from the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Republican Jim Jordan. Jordan introduced Räsänen at the hearing, calling her a 'victim of European censorship'. ADF was founded in the United States in the 1990s and later expanded its operations to Europe. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, in the United States, the organization has been involved in high-profile cases concerning conservative Christian issues, such as the rights of sexual minorities and abortion rights. In Germany, for example, ADF has supported groups that hold demonstrations outside abortion clinics. The news is being updated.

Türkiye labels Christians as 'national security threats' to justify mass expulsions. * ADF International Lawyer Addresses OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference * European Court to Rule on Landmark Case Testing Religious Freedom in Türkiye Warsaw (13 October 2025) - Speaking today at the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, Lidia Rieder, Legal Officer for ADF International warned that the government of Türkiye is systematically targeting Christians under the guise of "national security," expelling hundreds of foreign believers and leaving local congregations without spiritual leadership. "Türkiye's labeling of peaceful Christian residents as 'security threats' is a clear misuse of law and an attack on freedom of religion or belief." - Lidia Rieder, Legal Officer for ADF International "Türkiye's labeling of peaceful Christian residents as 'security threats' is a clear misuse of law and an attack on freedom of religion or belief," said Rieder, referencing the landmark case Wiest v. Türkiye currently before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). "When governments manipulate administrative or immigration systems to exclude people based solely on their faith, it undermines both the rule of law and the very principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence that the OSCE was founded to protect." Christians Expelled Under 'Security' Codes Since 2020, more than 200 foreign Christian workers and their families - affecting roughly 350 individuals - have been expelled from Türkiye, many of whom had lived there for decades. The Ministry of Interior has assigned these individuals so-called "security codes" such as N-82 and G-87, effectively banning their re-entry and classifying them as national security threats. Between December 2024 and January 2025 alone, at least 35 new codes were reportedly issued against foreign Christians. These actions have deprived many Protestant congregations of pastoral leadership and disrupted religious life across the country. ADF International is currently supporting over 30 legal cases on behalf of Christians challenging the arbitrary bans before the European Court of Human Rights and the Turkish courts. While Türkiye's Constitution enshrines freedom of religion and conscience, government practice tells a different story. Entry bans and deportations have increasingly been used as tools to silence foreign Christian workers, while theological training remains heavily restricted - the historic Halki Seminary remains closed, and Protestant seminaries continue to be denied legal status. At the same time, Bible education is prohibited even as Islamic theological courses are freely permitted under state oversight. Church properties also face unjust restrictions, with congregations such as the Bursa Protestant community being forced out of long-standing places of worship. Taken together, these practices reveal a pattern of systemic discrimination against Christians in clear violation of Articles 9 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Türkiye's own constitutional guarantees. The forthcoming Wiest v. Türkiye judgment is expected to set a crucial precedent for the protection of religious freedom in Europe and beyond. Mr. Wiest, a U.S. citizen who had resided legally in Türkiye for over 30 years, was banned from returning without evidence of wrongdoing. His case represents the growing number of believers punished for peacefully practicing their faith. "Freedom of religion cannot exist if believers live under threat of expulsion for practicing their faith," added Rieder. "The OSCE and its participating States have pledged to promote tolerance and non-discrimination. These commitments must be upheld not only in word, but in action." In her speech on behalf of ADF International, Rieder urged participating States to take concrete steps to uphold their commitments to freedom of religion and belief. This includes ensuring the full implementation of OSCE and international obligations on religious tolerance, preventing the misuse of administrative and security systems to marginalize or expel religious minorities, and guaranteeing accountability as well as effective legal remedies for victims of discrimination. The organization also calls for the immediate lifting of discriminatory bans and security codes that target individuals solely on the basis of their Christian faith, emphasizing that genuine tolerance requires not only words of commitment but measurable action to protect the rights of all believers. Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, Türkiye's growing religious nationalism has led to systematic restrictions on minority religious communities. Christians face barriers to worship, education, and leadership, as well as ongoing state surveillance and deportation campaigns. ADF International continues to advocate for the rights of Christians in Türkiye and worldwide, defending the principle that freedom of religion is the foundation of every free society.