Jussi Halla-aho
POPULAR Finnish politician and blogger Jussi Halla-aho has fallen foul of Finland’s archaic blasphemy laws by claiming that the “prophet” Mohammed was a paedophile.
The Eurabia blog revealed at the weekend that the Helsinki city councilman was charged in the Helsinki district court with blasphemy, and incitement of an ethnic group, and ordered to stand trial for publishing the “slur”.
According to the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Jorme Kalske:
Halla-aho had uploaded to the Internet and submitted writings to the general public, in which Islam and its sacred institutions were combined with paedophilia …
Reacting to the conviction of far-right Finnish activitist Seppo Lehto – who was sentenced last year to two years and four months imprisonment for “gross defamation” of Islam, incitement against an ethnic group and for blasphemy –Halla-aho deliberately posted his “Mo was a kiddy-fiddler” remarks to provoke State prosecutor Mika Illman.
You can see Lehto in action here.
Seppo Lehto sketches Big Mo as a porker
Halla-aho pointed out on his blog that the “filth” created by Lehto did indeed constitute “gross defamation, but:
Nobody has ever been sentenced for two years and four months for these kind of crimes. I don’t blame Mika Illman, he is obviously a man worthy of his last name, who does what he thinks he is supposed to do, but those district courts that have lamely given Mika everything he dares to ask have a reason to be ashamed of themselves.
He added:
According to state prosecutor Mika Illman and Tampere district court insulting the prophet Mohammed is illegal, because Muhammad is revered by Muslims. I intend to throw Mika a bait: the Prophet Mohammed was a paedophile and Islam revers paedophilia … Islam is a religion of paedophilia. Paedophilia is Allah’s will.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
April 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am
I am shocked! Are the finish blasphemy laws so wide as to cover every religion? Do they include the flying spaghetti monster and the noble Jedi? They surely can't protect every religious view in this way… The differences between faiths create inherent blasphemies, I mean If you don't agree with someone's religious point of view, are you not saying their religion is wrong/misguided/made up/fraudulent/primitive/foolish/ect…?
It seems that to me if these prosecutions continue then publicly expressed atheism in Finland is a de facto crime, as presumably a non believer would see Mohamed (pork be upon him) as either a liar or a delusional lunatic.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:52 am
How can anyone be prosecuted for stating that Muhammad (Shit Be Upon Him) was a paedophile or rapist – these facts are well-documented – they are not matters of personal opinion!! And if I inaugurate a religion based on worship of Jack The Ripper or The Kray Twins (Blood Be Upon Them), does this mean that all the books written about them will need to be burned as they are now also "revered"? Roger is absolutely correct, of course – I used to be an evangelical Cretin (Plymouth Brethren brand), and you should just hear what THEY say about other sects and religions!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Whist I'm thinking about it, doesn't this give the $ciontologists a free pass as well; if this law protects Mohamed's reputation from the facts of history, why not 'el Ron'?
I'm seething at the idiocy of this now!
April 27th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Methinks the Finnish government is shit-scared of our bearded buddies.
I know I am.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Oh FFS. People can be prosecuted for insulting a person who, if he actually existed, has been dead for centuries? Why is it that the people who demand so much protection for their "beliefs", their "prophets", their holy books and all of their trappings don't give out an ounce of respect to other *living* human beings? Freaking hypocritical SOBs.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Few points of clarification from Finland. Neither of the cases are really about blashphemy, but radical anti-immigration activism. They are both members of a finnish society called Suomen Sisu. It is NOT a coincidence that the initials of the said society are S.S. Think it as if the BNP had said something less savory about immigrants and then trying to yell "islamophobia."
Halla-Aho is charged with breach of religious peace (formerly called blasphemy) for claiming amongst other things, that paedophilia is the will of Allah), and incitment of ethnic group by claiming that mugging innocent passersby is a national genetic trait of certain people (of african origins)). He may pose as a champion of free speech, but his real object is to get publicity for his very well-known anti-immigrant views.
Nobody has been condemned for two years and four months for blashphemy. Seppo Lehto was not condemned for "gross defamation of Islam" but for nine counts of aggravated libel – none of them against a muslim; the victims included local politicians and the judge and prosecutor of an earlier libel case he lost-, one case of inciting ethnic hatred (including calling people of african origin disease or parasites), and one count of breach of peace of religion (formerly known as blasphemy).Mr. Lehto's conviction was mainly for those libel cases. It did not help him that he was under a suspended sentence for libel while doing it again.
Since 2000 there have been handful of convictions, but all the penalties for just this crime were finea, although the theoretical maximum penalty is six months imprisonment. Now, I as an atheist am against blasphemy being crime at all, but it should be noted that a few years back a man was condemned to fines for making similar claims against christian god, so the law has not been applied unevenly either.
There is an active atheist organisation in Finland called approriately enough Vapaa-Ajattelijat ("Free-Thinkers"). It has not taken any position on the matter, which indicates that they do not regard these incidents as really being about criticism of religion.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
"Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' (John 14:6)
"Then said Jesus unto them again, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers…I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…' " (John 10:7-9)
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeep`s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matt. 7:15)
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (I Tim. 2:5)
I take it that Christians no longer believe all this bullshit then?
April 27th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
regarding barriejohn's comment above, doesn't It strike you as slightly amusing that Xianity was founded on such blasphemies? Shit like that could get a dude nailed to something back in the day…
April 27th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Well, if "Jesus" really existed he didn`t actually go around saying the things that were going to endear him to the Jewish establishment did he?
April 27th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
He should be hanged for saying such mean things about poor Mohammed. What did Mohammed ever do to him? Mohammed was a nice man and he was deeply in love with his wife. He was often seen kissing and holding hands with his wife as he walked her to elementary school…
April 27th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
You make a point, but since I really doubt that he did exist in the first place, it might be unfair to blame the jews for killing him.
an another note I brought A C Grayling's 'against all gods' at the weekend – a bit steep at nine pounds for such a thin book… he cheerfully makes the point that religious folk are undeserving of any special treatment & since beliefs are chosen, it is perfectly fair to ridicule them and the people who hold them.
That being said we are a way from being able to sell a pig skin bound copy of the koran on ebay, without risking life and limb…getting it printed on to toilet paper is right out too…
April 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I heard that Mohammed once raped, killed and ate a pig.
Just sayin'.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I don`t want to go off at a tangent here, but I take it that everyone is familiar with the site http://www.jesusneverexisted.com !! Whoever "he" was, he and his followers have made the most outrageous claims about other "prophets", gods, and religions!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
The main point of Halla-Aho's text actually wasn't to imply that Muhammed was a pedophile but to point out how hypocrite Finnish journalists are. I'm willing to bet 50 euros that the biggest and most influential newspaper in Finland – Helsingin Sanomat – had some say in this. After all, Helsingin Sanomat is like Finnish equivalent of Pravda.
April 27th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
http://video.google.com/videop.....06177304...
Talking of, even theologians don't accept history of the bible as it is written within it, or so it seems – how can they still believe in this crap at the same time as refuting its stated basis for existing?
April 27th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
When Neville Chamberlain was appeasing Hitler, Winston Churchill heaped lavish praise on Finland for standing up to the other terrorists, the Russians. How things have changed.
April 27th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
The software on this server has some serious issues. Having said that, let me be the devil's advocate by saying, even though the Quran states that Aisha, nine years old was the wife of muhamed, and we can assume he was throwing her the sausage, accepted social norms were not the same at the time. Nor were they the same fifty years ago. My mother was married at the age of sixteen.
And I assume, that the laws in Finland are designed to keep people from inciting social unrest between religious groups. Yes, by our present laws and social standards, muhamed was a pediphile, and Finland quashes free speech, but, before we get self righteous thinking our system is better, remember slavery and the civil war. How long ago was it when a black man could vote without fearing for the lives of himself and his family? So maybe we should leave the Finns alone to deal with their social problems in the way they see fit. Ya think?
Norman Lycan
April 28th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Not to mention (judging by the news today from swat) completely and utterly tone death.
How else to explain his hatred of music (pronounced noise).
The only daft thing about it all is that we are dragging 76th. century laws, screaming, into the 21st. century – where they are genuinely out of place.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
"and we can assume he was throwing her the sausage, accepted social norms were not the same at the time. Nor were they the same fifty years ago. My mother was married at the age of sixteen."
In case you haven't noticed, 16 is legal in the civilized world and I'm sure she wasn't married against her will to a 50odd year old. Mo was 51 when he married Aisha who was only 6yo at the time, but because muslims don't consider what is right or wrong, only what is allowed or not, paedophilia is rife in islam. While your mother was married at 16 in the fifties, 9 is the minimum legal age in Iran right now and even then that is older than in some other muslim countries.
I am sure most people here are aware that in the 7th century, many cultures would have condoned this practice, but mo was supposed to have been in touch with god. According to mo it was god's will that he should marry aisha so who was he to go against god's will? This was also the case when he wanted to marry zaynab, his cousin and his adopted son's wife who he divorced to allow mo to carry out 'god's wishes' Must be very handy when you have a powerful friend (even an imaginary one) who panders to your every whim and desire. The assassination of political opponents, the permission to marry who you like etc etc, all his wants came with a seal of approval from heaven.
So, god condones paedophilia? Does he still condone it now? Surely god's moral fibre would be constant and absolute? surely there would be no concession for underdeveloped cultures and minds? What should be should be. Obviously, and I know you are aware of this, the morals, or lack thereof, displayed in the 'holy' books are a demonstration of how things were back in those days and not of how they should be now. But paedophilia is still rife in islam now and this guy has every right to point this out.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
"presumably a non believer would see Mohamed (pork be upon him) as either a liar or a delusional lunatic."
This is an outrage!!! You should have more respect for the prophet! He was BOTH a liar AND a delusional lunatic!!! Not only that, he was also a murderer, a rapist and a paedophile. Give the man some credit and show some respect!!!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
godless, there is no such thing as god, and therefore can neither approve or condemn anything. God is a human creation, just as our social standards are human creations. In centuries past, rich and influencial men got all the women, and poor boys got friendly with Rosy Palm. The lost boys.
But, as I stated in my post, I was playing devil's advocate, and sharing another possible way to see the issue. It does not necessarily represent my personal viewpoint. If fact, if the truth were known, the prophet of allah was probably buggering little boys too. Catholic priests didn't take out a patent.
So calm down, I was just playing a game called debate.
Norman Lycan
May 1st, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Firstly, I am aware that god doesn't exist, I was referring to mo's claim on the author of the koran and my belief that no excuses should be made about the actions of 'prophets' being in step with the morals of the time since the all knowing, all merciful, all loving god was supposed to be handing out the instructions to these turds. It was not meant to be an acknowledgment of the existence of god.
Secondly, I don't think I need to calm down as that was not a rant, because thirdly, I was only participating in the debate.
“but, before we get self righteous thinking our system is better, remember slavery and the civil war”
You have mentioned slavery etc, like those 'sins of the west' which we are all supposed to be feeling guilty about. I could never condone slavery, but I am not responsible for the actions of those people in the past. You are allowing yourself to be influenced by this 'the west is all evil' garbage that people like to use as a backup to their claim that the west is the cause of all problems in the world. Just like it’s ‘western imperialism’ which makes muslims want to kill us rather than the teachings of their vile book.
Many nasty things have been carried out by white Europeans, but none of them by me or anyone I know. Most white Europeans had nothing to do with these crimes yet we are all to feel that we are a problem when in fact, the western world (and I don’t just mean white people here but anyone who embraces the western approach) and free thinking are what has brought us to where we are today in terms of advancements; medicine, education, exploration, technology etc.
Westerners opposed slavery a long time ago and had it abolished whereas the muslims were officially still involved in the slave trade until the 1990’s as far as I am aware but no, it us pesky westerners that have to be made to feel guilty about it.
Mo was a paedophile, no two ways about it and no excuses should be made for him. Because of him, many little girls in muslim countries still end up getting forced into marriages with older men and raped. So, forget the devil’s advocate shit. Many of us have moved on, but religion holds us back from progressing as we should, and none more so than islam. It’s time more people made it clear what islam is all about instead of all this censorship crap. People need to know that islam is pure evil and should not be tolerated never mind protected and respected.
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May 28th, 2009 at 7:38 am
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Tunteeko kukaan, tai onko kenelläkään kontaktia lakimieheen suomessa, kenellä olisi kokemusta tai asiantuntemusta yksityiselämää loukkaavan tiedon levittämisestä, sekä kunnianlokkauksista, ja näihin liittyvistä syytteistä, sekä puolustuksesta?
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June 21st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
there is one god in the world allah who create adam like jesus they were a prophets like moise jacob josef noé ismail and isaac .and islam is begin with abraham .he was not juish not cristines but muslum .the religion who allah gives to all this prophets is islam . then abraham it was a lot of nominations but isalam is the first and the last religion .thanks for understanding.
July 12th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
26.6.2009 Turku hovioikeus justice court hold that 2 years 4 months prisonery about muhammed mogging etc
Could you help
Seppo Lehto
Muhammed caricaturist
Finland