United Kingdom: 78-year-old pastor fined for reading the Bible inside a "safe zone"
The pastor was fined £450, equivalent to approximately $614, after being found guilty of exerting "influence" within the protected area.
Reference image of a Bible.
A Northern Ireland court found retired pastor Clive Johnston, 78, guilty of preaching an evangelical sermon and reading the Bible verse John 3:16 near Causeway Hospital in the town of Coleraine, within a so-called "secure access zone" established around centers where abortions are performed.
The court decision, issued May 7 by District Judge Peter King at Coleraine Magistrates' Court, has reignited the debate over the boundaries between protective laws around abortion clinics and freedom of religion and speech in the United Kingdom.
As reported by Fox News, Johnston was convicted of violating the Northern Ireland's Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, regulations that prohibit actions deemed to be attempts to "influence," hinder access or cause distress to persons within 100 meters of facilities where abortion services are offered.
The pastor was fined £450, equivalent to approximately $614, after being found guilty of exerting "influence" within the protected area.
"I never imagined walking out of a court of law with a criminal conviction"
In statements picked up by Fox News, Johnston expressed concern about the implications of the ruling.
"At 78 years old, I never imagined I would walk out of a courtroom with a criminal conviction for preaching the Christian gospel," the pastor said.
The religious man maintained that the case transcends his personal situation and represents, in his opinion, an alarming precedent for religious freedom and freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.
"If reading the Bible, praying and preaching about God's love can now be considered harmful because someone might hear it in a certain area, then we have crossed a very serious line," he declared.
Johnston argued further that the sermon made no reference to abortion and only included a reading of John 3:16, one of Christianity's best-known verses.
The support of the Christian Institute
The case received legal support from The Christian Institute, a British Christian organization that assured that it could be the first conviction under this legislation specifically related to the preaching of a sermon without references to abortion.
The organization's director, Ciarán Kelly, warned that the ruling represents an "alarming restriction" on fundamental freedoms and confirmed that the pastor is considering filing an appeal.
For his part, the institute's deputy director, Simon Calvert, denounced what he described as growing threats to religious freedom and freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.
Police intervention
The police officer told him that any act likely to influence or cause distress to patients or medical staff could constitute an offense under current legislation.
He also suggested he move to the hospital's chaplaincy area if he wished to offer religious guidance or spiritual support.
Similar cases in the U.K.
Johnston's case is not isolated. In Scotland, Christian grandmother Rose Docherty was arrested twice for holding a sign offering conversation near an abortion clinic, although charges were later dropped.
In addition, sanctions and arrests related to people praying silently inside so-called buffer zones have been reported in different parts of the United Kingdom.
U.S. is following the case closely
The case also attracted international attention. Ahead of the April court hearing, the U.S. State Department confirmed that it was monitoring the process.
According to the report by Fox News, a State Department spokesperson maintained that Washington observes "numerous cases" related to buffer zones and censorship acts in Europe.
The U.S. agency further asserted that the prosecution of silent prayer in the United Kingdom represents a "troubling departure" from the shared values between the two countries.
The position of the public prosecution service
The prosecution argued that the pastor's actions "constituted an offence" under current legislation.
Meanwhile, Johnston announced that he is considering appealing the court ruling and assured that he will continue to preach the gospel "with grace, peace and courage."
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