All cases

Filtered by: Freedom of Association and Assembly

Bishop of Karpasia Prevented from Entering Occupied Area in Northern Cyprus

March 13, 2012, Cyprus

A new provocative action was carried out by the occupying regime in Cyprus when Bishop of Karpasia Mr. Christoforos was not allowed to enter the occupied area from the barricade of Astromeritis village. Later, he was also prohibited to go into one area of Agios Dometios. The bishop was stopped without explanation.

University Motion Orders Human-Life-Defending Groups to Invite Pro-Abortion Speakers

January 31, 2012, United Kingdom

The students’ union of University College in London has passed a motion to officially make the campus “pro-choice” and to impose a “restriction of freedom of speech”.

Prefecture Prohibits Pro-Life Manifestation, Allows Left Wing Counter Protests

November 19, 2011, France

The French Christian pro life group "SOS Tout-petits" registered a manifestation against abortion to take place on Nov 19th in front of the Paris Hospital Tenon. Even though the request for the permit came in due time, the prefecture withdrew the permission last minute. Reasons given were that the manifestation could be a disturbance of the public order and safety could not be guaranteed. At the same time, pro-choice groups which had organized a counter manifestation, and who had violently attacked the pro-life group during previous manifestations were allowed to hold their manifestation by walking around the hospital.

Prayer Banned From Public Spaces

September 16, 2011, France

France banned prayers from the streets beginning September 16th, 2011. The measure mainly aims to target Muslims and their Friday prayers. In support of the new regulation the French Minister, Claude Gueant, affirmed that prayers on the street are unacceptable in a secular country such as France, and police force would be used in case of disobedience. Marine Le Pen, a right-wing French representative, speaking of Muslim prayer meetings, described prayers on the street as a "Nazi occupation". The consequences of a regulation also undermines freedom of religion of Christians, with regard to traditional Catholic processions as well as street evangelisations and outdoor liturgies. It is unclear to the Observatory, whether there will be exceptions granted to such initiatives under the new law.

Violent Counter Demonstrators Attack Youth at World Youth Day in Madrid

August 17, 2011, Spain

A demonstration against the Catholic Church and the visit of the pope during the major Catholic event of World Youth Day, resulted in the young Christian visitors be booed, spat and shouted at. Several World Youth Day participates were physically attacked, one had to be treated in hospital for being kicked in the stomach. Eight anti-pope demonstrators were jailed.

Masked Vandals Attack Pro-Life Office in Austria

August 8, 2011, Austria

The office of Johannes Bucher, the European Regional Director of Human Life International’s (HLI), was attacked after a pro-life march in Salzburg, Austria. The office suffered seven broken windows, causing thousands of Euros in damage.

Militant Left Wing Activism Against Peaceful Pro Life Manifestation

July 24, 2011, Austria

The left wing radicals praised themselves for their actions by saying: "Over 50 emancipated people were present to block and disturb and they were not affraid of nervious cops. They prevented stupid prayers and managed to disrupt the pro life manifestion in a way that it had to be ended early. During almost the entire pro life manifestion, they made their feminist viewpoints clear by shouting paroles. They showed that militant resistance against anti-emanzipatory conditions and ass-holes is possible.“

Pro-Life Manifestation Attacked, One Hospitalised

December 11, 2010, Austria

Peaceful protest of Catholic Youth pro-life Group "Jugend für das Leben“ violently attacked by pro-choice forces. Member hospitalised with concussion.

Violent acts at ProLife-Demonstration in Münster and Infringments on Freedom of Assembly and Expression

March 31, 2009, Germany

In March 2009, more than 100 participants of an unannounced counter-demonstration partially blocked a pro-life organisations, the so called 1000-crosses-march, in Muenster (Münster). The chairman of the pro-life organisation Euro pro Life, Wolfgang Hering, responsible for the march, had been surrounded by a large number of tourblemakers. Only under threat of coercive measures by the police, he was released by the attackers.

Christians Arrested During Prayer

September 27, 2008, Turkey

Soldiers arrested a priest and more than 20 Christians in a Turkish Province during prayer. The Christian community wanted to hold a religious service in this region. When the Christians started to distribute sweets to the children and Bibles to the adults the security forces intervened and arrested them.