A middle-aged man, who has been a key figure in the Conservative Laestadian revival movement inside the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church, has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child and aggravated rape.
The alleged victim is a girl who is a close relative of the suspect.
The suspect has served as chairman of a large Laestadian congregation in the south of Finland, and has held an important position in the Central Committee of Conservative Laestadian Congregations.
The man has been remanded in custody since July. Police completed their preliminary investigation in the case just before the end of 2010.
Also facing charges in the case is a young male relative of the main defendant, whose alleged victim is another young female relative.
Two other male relatives were investigated on suspicion of sex crime, but not enough evidence was found to warrant the filing of charges.
The trialbegins next Wednesday, and is scheduled to end in early February.
Last year a number of cases of suspected sexual abuse of children came to light in the Laestadian movement, and in other parts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The Central Committee of Conservative Laestadian Congregations has launched an internal investigation into the activities of its leaders in connection with cases of suspected paedophilia.
Laestadian leaders have been accused of helping cover up cases of abuse and of misinterpreting the law on child protection.
