A Christian Finnish MP convicted of hate speech has been denied entry to the UK.
Päivi Räsänen was found guilty of hate speech in March, over comments she made regarding a traditional view of marriage.
Now, her electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to the UK has been cancelled. The travel permit can be denied due to someone having criminal convictions.
The Finnish Supreme Court ruled that a pamphlet Räsänen wrote in 2004 amounted to hate speech. She was also convicted of "making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group."
Räsänen, a former Finnish Minister of the Interior, said her ETA application was initially approved, but she later received notification from UK authorities that it had been cancelled. No explanation was given for the decision.
She had been planning a trip to Northern Ireland in August, to speak at the Bangor Worldwide Ministry Convention. However, the 66-year-old said those plans are now in doubt.
Mrs Räsänen said: "The Supreme Court’s closely divided ruling has had unexpected consequences. In addition to restricting freedom of expression, it has also created restrictions and difficulties related to travel and participation in meetings and conferences.
"My greatest concern is that this decision has left many people with uncertainty, confusion, and fear about the consequences of exercising their freedom of speech and religion in a peaceful manner, and about where the line lies between lawful and prohibited speech."
