All cases

Cambridge University's Proposed Free Speech Policy Allows the Disrespect of Views You Don't Agree With

December 15, 2020, United Kingdom

In its plan to alter the existing statement on freedom of speech, the University of Cambridge said people must be "respectful" of "differing opinions" and "diverse identities". However, more than 100 scholars and senior staff quickly objected, saying the “authoritarian” proposals could threaten academic freedom. Their amendment to change the phrase ‘respectful` to ‘tolerate’ was voted on by members of the University’s governing body and won “by a landslide”.

Shadow Minister Resigns After Stating That Registrars Should Have the Right of Conscientious Objection Regarding Gay Marriage

December 7, 2020, United Kingdom

On December 7th, the UK shadow minister for faiths, Janet Daby, has resigned from her position. This was due to her statement, regarding the right of registrars to refuse same-sex marriages without being terminated. Janet Daby said that registrars who had a religious objection to same-sex marriage should not be forced to conduct them, as well as someone who has objections to abortions is not forced to carry them out. She sincerely apologized for her misjudged comments, and decided to resign as Shadow Faith Minister.

Christian Councillor Removed for Refusing Funds For Pride Event Was Vindicated

November 10, 2020, United Kingdom

Mary Douglas, a Christian councillor at Wiltshire, was forced to step down from her role in November 2019, as she expressed her disapproval of the use of public funds to promote the "gay pride" event, as she did not agree with this "ideology and worldview". Accused of homophobia, she had to leave her role, but after an investigation the Wiltshire Council reversed the decision. The council admitted that her removal was an infringement of her "right to freedom of expression".

Spain Denies Asylum to Iranian Christian Convert Facing Life-threatening Persecution

November 5, 2020, Spain

A 50-year-old Iranian has dealt with hostility for 16 years, since he converted to Christianity from Islam. He fled from Iran, where he was threatened with death by his family and ended up in Barcelona, where he was helped by an evangelical church. His asylum has been rejected three times and now he lives in an unregulated situation since 2018. The hostility and violence towards his Christian faith has also continued in Barcelona, by other Iranians. He tells his story in an interview published on November 5th.

Christian Leaders Protest Against New Lockdown Regulations Closing Churches

October 23, 2020, United Kingdom

The First Minister of Walse, Mark Drakeford announced a new lockdown from the 23rd of October to the 9th of November, which includes the closing of churches. Christian leaders have raised their voice against the regulations made by the Welsh Government. The Christian leaders argue that the regulations are severely interfering with the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and worship, which are protected under Article 9 of the Human Rights Act.

BCC Northern Ireland Launched Biased Program on "Gay Conversion Therapy"

October 22, 2020, United Kingdom

As reported by Christian Concern on the 22nd of October, the BBC News Broadcast showed a biased TV Program on the issue of "Gay Conversion Therapy". On September 29th, BBC Northern Ireland featured only LGBT campaigners and gay-affirming psychologist and psychiatrists. The organization Core Issues Trust argued, that the program did not represent the real range of scientific opinions on the controversial topic. There were no interviews with people who had benefited from counseling interventions and left the LGBT lifestyle and also false reports were used without further investigations.

Students Seek to Oust Porter Over Views on Gender Ideology

October 22, 2020, United Kingdom

The Union of Clare Students (UCS) of the Cambridge Clare University are trying to remove the city councilor Kevin Price, for refusing to vote on a motion that contained a statement affirming that trans-women are women, trans-men are men and non-binary individuals are also non-binary. Price resigned his role to vote as a matter of conscience on the 22nd of October. The UCS considers Price "Unfit" and demand not only a safe environment for trans-people, but also that they feel "celebrated".

Christian Posters With Bible Verses Outside a Church Torn Off Several Times

October 15, 2020, Switzerland

On the 15th of October, it was reported that the two posters outside the Catholic Church at the Kreuzstrasse in Uster were torn off repeatedly. In the posters reads "God is faithful", "Pay attention to your thoughts" and "Avoiding evil is insight", which are taken from the bible. The campaign is run by an interdenominational Christian association.

Mayor Prevented the Blessing of a School Bus

October 14, 2020, Italy

In the Municipality of Bibiana, the mayor, Fabio Rossetto, prevented the parish priest of the village to bless a new school bus. He said that the vehicle is ‘secular’ and therefore, does not need the consecration. This issue has raised controversy in the town of Turin.

Student in Swedish School Asked to Remove Necklace with Cross for School Photo

October 9, 2020, Sweden

On October 9th, a 15-year-old boy was asked to remove his necklace with a cross on it for the school photo. The school is unknown to guarantee the anonimity of the boy. Other students at the school were allowed to wear their religious symbols during the photo was taken, like face or hair coverings according to the Muslim religion. The teenager was told, that the cross symbol could be offensive for other students. The headmaster of the school distanced himself from the incident and said the photographer had made a mistake.

A Pro-Life March Blocked and Disrupted by Left-Wing Extremists

October 7, 2020, Germany

More than 300 police officers were deployed to protect the pro-life march and pro-life activists. Left-wing extremists disrupted and blocked the way to prevent the march. Some of them were temporarily arrested and the police had to threaten them with the use of the baton.

University of Edinburgh and University of Stirling Accused of Restricting Free Speech by Refusing to Affiliate Pro-Life Societies

September 28, 2020, United Kingdom

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Children (SPUC) and the Alliance of Pro-Life Students (APS) published a report called Free2Speak on September 28, which analyzed campus censorship in Scotland. Each university was scored according to their policies towards pro-life students, societies and outside speakers and the students' experiences. Both Edinburgh and Stirling university were marked as "fails" in the survey because their students' unions refused to affiliate pro-life societies.

Deportation of Convert Refugee Threatened with Death Penalty in Afghanistan

September 22, 2020, Germany

Naser R. is a refugee who converted to Christianity and threatened with death penalty in Afghanistan because of his conversion. He has been living in Hof since 2016 and visited St. Michael Church. He got baptized in the Church and since then, he became a member of the community. The young man is to be deported to Afghanistan, where he would face the death penalty. The Dean Günter Saalfrank and the honorary refugee commissioner of the Deanery of Hof wants to take action.

Amsterdam Mayor Accused Hillsong Church of Intolerance against Homosexuals

September 18, 2020, Netherlands

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema linked the activities of the Hillsong Church with an increasing violence against gays during a council meeting in September and associated them with the promotion of gay healing and conversion therapy. To take action against the church's alleged intolerance, she announced her intention to approach the landlord of the Hillsong Church building. Both Hillsong Church and Christian parties in the council expressed their surprise and disappointment at the unfounded claims.

After Facebook Post Pastor Threatened by LGBT Activists with Arson and Physical Assault

September 8, 2020, United Kingdom

Since the 8th of August, Pastor Josh Williamson and his wife experienced several threats and verbal abuse by the LGBT community, because of posting his belief about homosexuality on Facebook. Among them are the threats to burn his church, to perform sexual acts and protests in front of his church and physical assault. His image was also used on pornographic content and shared online, among other misleading information about him. In his conversation with the Police, Williamson was told to be careful not to break the law by insulting the LGBT community and being charged for hate speech. The threats towards him and his church were not investigated, neither the acts of defamation.

Discrimination Against Christian Academics in State-Led Educational Agency

September 7, 2020, Spain

The Observatory of Freedom of Religion (OFRC) in Spain, presented a research project in October 2019, to the National Agency for Evaluation and Prospective Studies (ANEP) under the Ministry of Science and Innovation on a Climate Change topic. The actors involved were the University of Alcalá, the University of Catalonia and researchers of three different universities, from which two have a Christian background. In June 2020 they received a statement that the experience of the members of the research, related to climate change, is doubted and they are afraid of a biased study, given the religious weight of the institutions involved. The OLRC took the case to the Ministry, but it was rejected.

Congress Center in Winterthur Refused Hosting March for Life Event Fearing Radical Left Violence

September 1, 2020, Switzerland

The congress center "gate27" in Winterthur withdrew the right to hospitality from the Swiss pro-life association "Marsch fürs Läbe", which had planned to host a substitute event for the March of Life on September 19th. An estimated 400 to 1,000 unauthorized counter-protestors were expected to attempt to block the event, causing the police to give out serious warnings about the danger of violent left-wing extremist attacks. The organizers of Marsch fürs Läbe regret the restriction of freedom of speech and assembly caused by left-wing extremist threats and filed a complaint.

Increasing Attacks on German Street Preacher

August 10, 2020, Germany

Street preacher Henning Heinrich Westrup reported that attacks against him increased in July. He calls on people to repent and follow Jesus Christ in the pedestrian zones in Bielefeld, Dortmund and Gütersloh, among others. He reported that attacks against him by people who reject his message have increased. He said he experienced insults, vulgarities, and threats -- along with an assault in July.

Barclays Bank and Online Platforms Closed Christian Charities' Accounts

July 25, 2020, United Kingdom

Two Christian organizations that help people “who voluntarily seek change in sexual preference and expression,” have been notified by Barclays Bank that their accounts would be closed. The move by the bank followed a social media campaign demanding that the bank end its professional relationship with Core Issues Trust (CIT) and The International Federation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC), accusing both groups of promoting “conversion therapy.” In recent weeks, the UK government has pledged to ban "conversion therapy." The charities' head, Mike Davidson, disputes the use of the term: “The term ‘conversion therapy’ is being used as a catch-all phrase designed to discredit any help that people may provide to those with mixed sexual attractions who prefer their heterosexual side. This could include a listening ear, formal counselling or spiritual support.”

Proposed Scottish Hate Crime Bill Threatens Freedom of Speech and Worship

July 23, 2020, United Kingdom

The Scottish Justice Committee has proposed a new hate crime bill, which extends the current hate crime law covering race, to include other "protected characteristics" such as religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity. Christian and secular groups have criticized the bill as too broad and subjective, potentially interfering with freedom of speech and worship. The Parliament has accepted to re-draft the Bill, to protect Freedom of Speech. The new amendment should be known in December 2020.

Equality Legislation in Malta Threatens Freedom of Religion; Conscience; Expression

July 22, 2020, Malta

Proposed Equality Bills 96 and 97 are ostensibly aimed at protecting an extensive group of people from discrimination and cover areas such as schools, public religious symbols, and services and employment. The Bills would make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, age, religious belief, state of health, and other “protected characteristics.” However, many sectors of society, including educators, professionals, business owners, health workers, parents, faith-based groups, and believers are concerned about the laws' overreach.

Abortion Allowed up to Birth in Case of Non-Fatal Disability in NI Despite Stormont Assembly Vote

June 15, 2020, United Kingdom

Despite the opposition by the Stormont Assembly, Parliament of Northern Ireland, the House of Lords in the UK backed the abortion regulations for Northern Ireland, which were made on the time when the Assembly had collapsed. The regulations permit abortions up to birth in cases of severe non-fatal disability, such as the Down-syndrome. Lord Shinkwin, a Peer in the House of Lords, who also has a disability asked how they could deny life to a human being diagnosed with a non-fatal disability.

Government Proposed to Ban Pro-Life Campaigns In Front Of Abortion Hospitals

June 15, 2020, Ireland

In Ireland, the Government proposed creating "free access zones", where pro-life campaigners would not be allowed to stand in front of Hospitals and Abortion centers. Pro Life Campaigner Eilis Mulroy criticises the intended introduction of censorship zones. He claims that these exclusion zones go against freedom of speech and peaceful protests. Also, the Pro-Life movement criticizes the absence of meaningful support or interest in providing other alternatives to abortion in the draft Program for the Government.

Draft Law on Homophobia and Transphobia Could Criminalize Biblical Teaching

June 10, 2020, Italy

The Italian Bishops are speaking against a new legislation proposed against "homotransphobia" by Zan-Scalfarotto, as it could criminalize the Church's teaching on homosexuality and censor the preaching against other sexual pathologies. The Bishops argue that there are already laws that protect every human being from discrimination and violence. The law could lead to "criminalization of opinion".

Christians Against the New Biotechnology Law

May 26, 2020, Norway

On the 26th of May, a new Biotechnology law was passed to allow an early ultrasound on the foetus, which can show the physical or mental disadvantages of the baby. Also, the donation of eggs has been made legal and the artificial insemination of single women is now allowed at the expense of the state. The Christian Democratic Party was against this law because the early knowledge about the disability of a foetus could lead to discrimination of the child by being aborted. In Norway, abortion is legal up to the week 12 of pregnancy.

LGBT Activist Organization Accused Christian Pro-Life Moment of Hate Speech

May 25, 2020, Italy

The Pro-Life organisation has been accused of Hate Speech for collecting signatures against the new Homo and Transphobic law. The fear is that Christian institutions, organisations, or Christians themselves, particularly those who are against abortion or homosexual marriage, could be sanctioned up to four years of imprisonment. This could, therefore, lead to restriction of freedom of expression and speech.

Cornerstone Adoption and Fostering Service Seeks Judicial Review after Ofsted Downgrade

May 7, 2020, United Kingdom

The High Court in Leeds held a judicial review of the watchdog Ofsted’s actions against Cornerstone Adoption and Fostering Service in North East England on the 6th and 7th of May. The Christian fostering agency took the government regulator to court for downgrading Cornerstone’s fostering service from “Good” to “Requires Improvement.” 

Abortion Images Banned After Pro-Life Campaign in Town Square

May 6, 2020, United Kingdom

On 6th May, a judge ruled that the display of abortion images was a visual equivalent of "shouting into a person's face", and was, therefore, right to ban it. The pro-life organizer Mr. Hacking was given a community protection notice forbidding him the display of large photos of a fetus. The reasons were that people felt distressed and emotionally, mentally or even physically harmed through the images of the aborted fetus. Mr. Hacking said, that the real victim isn't the viewer who is negatively impacted by the visualization, but rather the unborn child.

Three Armed Policemen Burst Into a Parisian church to Stop a Mass

April 22, 2020, France

Bishop Aupetit strongly denounced the incident, recalling that the law prohibits "police officers from entering a church with weapons".

The Government Prohibits the Procession of the Santa Faz to Bless the City.

April 17, 2020, Spain

The Subdelegation of the Government prohibited on the 17th April the Procession of the Santa Faz relic to bless the city, which would have taken place on the 23rd April. The reason was that the act was not covered by the regulations on the state of alarm for the Covid-19 pandemic. The mayor and priests proposed alternatives for celebrating the procession without danger of contagion. However, the Council has not approved it. In other historical pandemics, the celebration had taken place.

Police Cancelled Rooftop Palm Sunday Mass

April 6, 2020, Spain

On Palm Sunday morning, the local police interrupted a Mass celebrated on a rooftop by the priest of the Church of the Paúls in Triana. The members of the community had improvised an altar and lectern. The priest used a speaker to reach the nearest residential blocks. While some residents informed the police saying the rules were being violated, other citizens were angry at the officers for interrupting the Mass. The priests said there were only eight of them on the rooftop, and they all lived in the same house. There was a confrontation between the neighbors supporting the Mass and the ones against it.

The Police Evacuated A Church Even Though the Regulations Allow Mass in Churches

April 3, 2020, Spain

On 3. April, the national Police evacuated the church of San Servando y San Germán, in the district La Laguna of Cádiz. The Police said that the security measures for the Covid-19 Pandemic were not being held at the mass. The parish priest wrote afterwards an open letter, assuring that the fifteen parishioners in the Mass were taking the right measures, and that the evacuation was not justified.

Chick-fil-A Closes its Reading restaurant

March 20, 2020, United Kingdom

In October 2019, the American restaurant Chick-fil-A signed a six-month lease and opened a franchise in The Oracle shopping center in Reading. LGBT protesters promptly began a "Get the Chick Out" boycott campaign, due to the company's previous support of a Christian charity which opposed same-sex marriage. The company indicated that the closure was part of its strategy of opening "pilot license locations“ with limited menus in partnership with local organizations to test the waters while expanding.  

Parent's of 13-year-old Girl Complain to School For Mentoring Their Child Into Thinking She Is Transgender

March 17, 2020, United Kingdom

The Parents of the 13-year-old girl accused the school of allowing mentoring sessions with the Head of the LGBT group, trained by Eikon Organization. The girl showed no signs of gender dysphoria until September 2019, and was comfortable in her body. By November, she had cut her hair and said she identified as a boy. In the school, she was then called by male pronouns and allowed to use men’s bathroom. The parents were not informed about the identity change of their child, until they accidently found out in a meeting. The teaching assistant also gave the teenager a YouTube website of a trans activist, where he showed his mastectomy scars and told how well the operation had gone. The girl was then sent to a psychologist, who also didn't approve the mentoring of the school.

Conversion Therapy Now iIlegal In Germany

March 16, 2020, Germany

A new law was proposed from the Christian Democrats in February 2020 that prohibits conversion therapy defined as "all therapy carried out on human beings which are aimed at changing or suppressing sexual orientation of self-perceived gender identity". The law is already in use since June 2020.

Religious Discrimination against Christian Seniors Group by Innsbruck's Social Services

March 4, 2020, Austria

A seniors group of Christians from recognised religious communities such as the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Free Churches in Austria (FKÖ) is no longer allowed to use the tax-financed community centre after several years of use. In an e-mail from ISD (Innsbrucker Soziale Dienste), the Christian seniors group was informed that "prayers, devotions, hymns of praise, Bible readings or the like" are no longer permitted in the ISD Community Centre in Wilten with immediate effect. Representatives of political parties and Tyrollean citizens are protesting against this decision accusing of violating religious freedom.

Christians Women Portrayed as Harassers at Abortion Clinic

March 2, 2020, Netherlands

Media portrayed Christian women as anti-abortion activists and harassers. They are also being targeted on the doorsteps of abortion clinics.

MP Interviewed by Police for Questioning Church Leadership

March 2, 2020, Finland

On March 2nd, member of the Finnish Parliament Päivi Räsänen faced a police interrogation because of a tweet she posted in June 2019. The tweet was directed at the leadership of her church and questioned its official sponsorship of the LGBT event “Pride 2019”, accompanied by an image of a bible text.

"Carnival" Replaced by "Fancy-Dress Party" in Netherlands Public School

February 14, 2020, Netherlands

A primary school in Zevenaar renamed its traditional Carnival celebration as a "fancy dress party" on the initiative of the parents' association. They claimed that Carnival, originally a Catholic festival, would not suit the public nature of the primary school.

All Scheduled UK Venues Cancel Franklin Graham Tour Events

February 6, 2020, United Kingdom

On January 24th, the ACC Liverpool Group announced that it would no longer hold the previously-scheduled Graham Tour Event due to objections from LGBT activists over Graham's past statements about homosexuality. Graham responded by saying “I’m not coming to the UK to speak against anybody, I’m coming to speak for everybody. The Gospel is inclusive. I'm not coming out of hate, I'm coming out of love.” As of February 11th, the other venues that cancelled events were: International Convention Centre Wales in Newport, Glasgow SEC, Sheffield Arena, Arena Birmingham, and Stadium Milton Keynes.

Freedom of Conscience Research Paper for Wedding Registrars Rejected

January 29, 2020, Ireland

On Wednesday 29 January, the Finance Committee of Ireland decided to vote against commissioning a research paper on the civil, human and employment rights of registrars who cannot perform same-sex marriages in good conscience. The research was proposed by Jim Allister, who is shocked by the lack of interest in the matter of freedom of conscience for Christians, which is a human right.

Vandalism and Boycott from Airline Towards Chocolate Läderach for Christian Values

January 29, 2020, Switzerland

After ten years of cooperation, Swiss Airlines terminated their cooperation in November 2019 with the chocolate manufacturer Läderach. The reason was their concerns about Läderach belonging to a Christian community. To elaborate, Jürg and Johannes Läderach are members of the board of Christianity for Today (Cft) in Kaltbrunn, Canton St. Gallen. Cft is a supporting organization of the "March for Life", which fights against abortion.The manufacturer was accused of fighting against abortion and homosexuals. After Swiss boycott of Läderach and great financial loss, they had to dismiss numerous employees, some of whom had been with the company for ten years. The manufacturer has repeatedly subject of massive criticism and vandal attacks on seven of their branches.

Defense Lawyer Wants "Devout" Catholics Excluded from Euthanasia Trial

January 14, 2020, Belgium

Defense counsel for one of the three doctors on trial for unlawfully poisoning an autistic woman via euthanasia has admitted to searching the social media profiles of potential jurors to exclude "devout" Catholics. Walter Van Steenbrugge said he would be a "bad lawyer" if he did not exclude people who were "extremely Catholic," for example if they expressed a Marian devotion or had previously expressed the opinion that euthanasia is murder.

Catholic Speaker Cancelled at Irish Schools

January 12, 2020, Ireland

Four talks by US Catholic speaker Jason Evert were cancelled due to pressure by campus LGBT groups and media reports referring to the well-known chastity speaker as "homophobic and anti-contraceptive." Presentations at two Dublin colleges, a Catholic conference called ‘Ignite 2020,’ and a talk at hotel were cancelled. According to reports, the University College Dublin LGBT Society called on the university authorities to stop Mr Evert from speaking, saying in a statement that his proposed visit to the university was “putting the safety of UCD’s LGBTQ+ community at risk” and his words could have “lasting and damaging effects on the mental wellbeing of LGHBTQ+ students.”

Researcher Who Lost job for Tweeting ‘Men Cannot Change into Women’ Loses Employment Tribunal

December 18, 2019, United Kingdom

On December 18th, a judge in an employment tribunal ruled against Maya Forstater, a tax expert at the Centre for Global Development, who defended her right to say on social media that men cannot become ‘women’ by undergoing gender reassignment treatment. Employment Judge Taylor ruled that her belief that biological sex cannot be changed “did not have the protected characteristic of a philosophical belief.” She had tweeted that “men cannot change into women” as part of an argument about the government’s proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. This was not deemed a "protected belief" under the Equality Act 2010.

Toulouse: Living Nativity Disrupted by Activists; Journalist Assaulted

December 15, 2019, France

The 2019 edition of the living crèche in Toulouse had to be shortened after the intervention of counter-demonstrators in front of frightened children. Around fifty far-left demonstrators whistled at the choir, chanted blasphemous songs, and insulted participants before coming to blows with some, arguing "that this event was illegal in a secular state."

Visit by Saint Nicholas Cancelled by School

December 10, 2019, France

In the name of secularism, the director of the Gustave Ansart school group, a public establishment in the commune of Thiant, Academy of Lille, refused to permit a visit from Saint Nicholas inside the school. This departs from a well-established tradition and one eagerly awaited by school children.

European Parliament Speaks Out against Christian Persecution in Algeria

December 2, 2019, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution which calls "for an end to violations against the freedom of Christians and other religious minorities to worship."

Pastor Sues After Being Forced out of job and Harassed over Pride Tweet

December 1, 2019, United Kingdom

A Christian pastor and school caretaker, who received abuse and threats for a June 2019 tweet about LGBTQ Pride has taken legal action against the school which he felt forced to leave. His case was heard on Court on January 2022.

Swedish Justice Minister Defends Asylum Process for Christian Converts

November 29, 2019, Sweden

During an interpellation debate in the parliament on November 29th, Justice Minister Morgan Johansson was asked by MP Hans Eklind about an asylum case in which a person who converted from Islam was interviewed by a Muslim officer in veil at the Migration Board. The officer subsequently denied the claim, finding his conversion to be false. Johansson was asked how the government ensures that the Swedish Migration Board fulfills its obligations to legal quality and uniform application of the law where religious views are invoked.

Advent Songs Removed from School's Year-End Performance

November 26, 2019, Switzerland

School leadership at a Wil elementary school in the Swiss Canton of St. Gallen made the decision to remove the three Advent/Christmas songs from the program of its year-end show, out of "respect for other cultures and religions." Teachers were reportedly "astonished" at the decision and the President of the Coordination of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, encouraged schools not to change their traditions: "From our point of view, it is very regrettable when Christian songs are no longer sung in a Christian country," he said.

High Court Permanently Bans Protests against "No Outsiders" School Programme

November 26, 2019, United Kingdom

A High Court judge ruled in favor of an exclusion zone around a school in Birmingham permanent, preventing parents from protesting outside the grounds against the "No Outsiders" primary school programme that teaches about LGBT relationships. Many parents and activists claim the programme contradicts their faith and is not "age appropriate." A temporary exclusion zone was first imposed by the courts in the summer after months of protests outside Anderton Park Primary School by mostly Muslim parents. Birmingham City Council claimed that the order was sought from the courts over safety concerns.

French Nun Denied a Place in Retirement Home Due to Religious Habit

November 19, 2019, France

In October 2018, an elderly nun applied for a place in a retirement home in Vesoul, run by the city's Centre Communal d'Action Sociale (CCAS) in her home prefecture of Haute-Saone. After nine months on the waiting list, on July 2019, her request for housing was accepted, but with one condition: "With due respect for secularism, any ostentatious sign of belonging to a religious community cannot be accepted in order to ensure the serenity of all. Indeed, religion is a private affair and must remain so." The nun was told she could only wear a discreet cross. Having worn her religious habit all of her adult life, she refused to comply and was thus denied a place.

Politician Deselected for Christian Views

November 13, 2019, United Kingdom

A Catholic Liberal Democrat who was the prospective candidate for Stoke-on-Trent South in the upcoming election was abruptly deselected on the basis that his "values" were not in line with the party. Thirty-six hours after Robert Flello was chosen as the Lib Dem candidate, the party announced in a press release that his candidacy had been revoked. The former Labour MP's views on abortion and marriage were not a secret, as he had been a member of parliament for 12 years.

Tribunal Rules Biblical View of Sexes "Incompatible with Human Dignity"

October 2, 2019, United Kingdom

A Christian doctor has lost an employment tribunal case, where he alleged that the Department of Work and Pensions breached his freedom of thought, conscience and religion pursuant to the Equality Act. Disability assessor, Dr. David Mackereth claimed discrimination on part of the Department of Work and Pensions for failing to accommodate his refusal to use pronouns which did not correspond with the biological sex of clients. In its decision, the panel stated that Dr. Mackereth's belief that "the Bible teaches us that God made humans male or female" was "incompatible with human dignity."

Medical Professionals Call for Conscience Safeguards if Northern Ireland Liberalizes Abortion Law

September 28, 2019, United Kingdom

Northern Ireland Minister received correspondence from more than 700 medical practitioners calling for conscience protections which would allow Christians and conscientious objectors within the profession the statutory right to refuse to participate in abortions.

Saarland Government Denies Asylum to 400 Assyrian Christians

September 25, 2019, Germany

The Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) rejected the request of the Assyrian Cultural Association Saarlouis allow about 400 Syrian Christians from the conflict-torn region of Northern Syria on the Khabur River to enter Saarland. Despite offers of respite and assistance from the existing Assyrian community in the German federal state, the government said it would only admit five refugees.

Finnish Politician Investigated for Hate Crime for Sharing Bible Verse

August 27, 2019, Finland

The Helsinki Police Department announced it had opened pre-trial investigations into Päivi Räsänen, a Christian Democrat MP, for her criticism of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland's (ELCF) participation in the Helsinki LGBT Pride events in June. She posted a photograph of Romans 1:24-26 from the New Testament on Facebook and wrote "How does the foundation of the church’s teachings, the Bible, fit with elevating sin and shame as reasons for pride?"

Convert Deported From Finland Back to Iran, Where He Was Tortured

August 12, 2019, Finland

An Iranian asylum seeker who converted to Christianity was returned to Iran on the 12th of August, after his asylum was rejected. According to the administrative law, he would be allowed to live a moderate Christian life in Iran. The community made a petition for Sardan to be able to stay in Finland, because of fear of persecution, but still he was deported. According to the Information, after the arrival he was arrested by the police, questioned about his faith and tortured until he renounced his Christian faith and returned to Islam. He refused and many attempt are taking place to get him to Finland.

German Pastor Says Asylum for Christian Converts Has Become a Pure Gamble"

August 2, 2019, Germany

Protestant pastor Dr. Gottfried Martens, who ministers to over 1,600 people in his church, most of them converts and asylum seekers from Iran and Afghanistan, has said that whether someone is granted asylum or not is almost like a "pure gamble." The problem Martens sees in the administrative courts is how judges "verify" the earnestness of an asylum seeker's conversion to Christianity. Some trust a pastor's statement whether written or oral in court, while some ignore it and only focus on the short time they spend with the refugee in court. This fully depends on what kind of judge one gets appointed to, according to Martens, and there is no way to prepare well enough for a court date if there is no general regulation that a minister's statement be taken into account.

Scottish Local Councils Demand Right to Install "Buffer Zones"

June 7, 2019, United Kingdom

Scottish local councils ask for more power to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics where they see fit without having to appeal to the UK government for permission. This call follows "intimidating" anti-abortion protests outside Glasgow, Larbert and Edinburgh clinics. However, buffer zones such as those would restrict anyone from certain actions such as praying, calmly talking to women about abortion and make them a criminal offense.

Budapest Kindergarten Teaches Horoscopes; Won't Allow Discussion of God

May 27, 2019, Hungary

According to a report from the mother of a 5-year-old boy who attends a government-run kindergarten in Budapest, the teacher told her son not to talk about God with other children because there were non-believers in the classroom. However, there have been entire morning programs devoted to learning about astrology/zodiac signs. When the boy's mother complained to the kindergarten director, she was told that the school maintains Christian traditions with the celebration of Christmas and Easter, but that the teacher was correct to stop the discussion of God's existence and to prohibit the children from talking about God.

Richmond Council "Buffer Zone" Challenged in Court

May 23, 2019, United Kingdom

Legal proceedings were launched in the High Court against Richmond Council to challenge a controversial Public Space Protection Order (“PSPO”) around an abortion clinic on Rosslyn Road that makes it a criminal offense to, among other things, pray or have conversations about abortion. The legal challenge has been brought by Justyna Pasek, who has personally supported women visiting the abortion clinic in Richmond for over five years, offering them alternatives to abortion.

Christian Nurse Loses Appeal

May 21, 2019, United Kingdom

Sarah Kuteh loses case at Court of Appeal.

Facebook Censors "Still One of Us" Image; Reverses Decision after Review

May 15, 2019, International

The Dublin-based Iona Institute for Religion and Society launched a pro-life ad campaign during the week of May 7th, which included billboard signs depicting an unborn child in the womb. Iona extended that campaign to Facebook and paid a promotion fee to bring it to a wider audience. Facebook blurred the image in the ads behind a warning and said that the image comes under the heading of “graphic” or “violent” content. UPDATE: On May 20th, Facebook reversed the decision, saying it was mistakenly categorized as "sensitive content."

Activists Block University Christians' Event in Göttingen

May 9, 2019, Germany

Activists prevented a planned lecture by the gynecologist Michael Kiworr (Mannheim) on 8 May at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Pro-Life Student Group Challenges Student Union Ban

April 12, 2019, United Kingdom

In April 2018, the pro-life student university group Aberdeen Life Ethics Society submitted an application for affiliation to Aberdeen University's Societies Union (AUSA) but was denied due to AUSA's policy which required the union to give “no funding, facilitation, or platform” to any pro-life group and forbids the “unreasonable display” of pro-life material on campus. Aberdeen Life Ethics Society has taken legal action against the University and AUSA claiming unlawful discrimination and the violation of equality rights protected by UK law.

Twitter Blocked Mother Theresa Quote

April 10, 2019, International

Susan B. Anthony List, a U.S. pro-life organization tweeted a photograph of Mother Theresa and her words: "Abortion is profoundly anti-women. Three quarters of its victims are women: Half the babies and all the mothers.” This tweet was blocked by Twitter for violating the company's “health and pharmaceutical products and services policy.” The tweet was later restored, but Twitter's action prompted U.S. Senator Ted Cruz to question the company's executives about its policies.

Cemetery Restoration Includes System to Obscure Christian Symbols

April 8, 2019, Italy

The municipal council of Pieve di Centro in Bologna approved a proposal to install a motorized curtain system in the unconsecrated cemetery chapel to temporarily cover Christian symbols and tombs inside the chapel during ceremonies for non-Christians. The decision generated controversy, with some commentators criticizing the lack of transparency about the project, noting that the public had not been consulted and that construction of another, non-denominational space had not been considered or discussed.

Report Calls Swedish Asylum Process for Converts a "Complete Lottery"

March 20, 2019, Sweden

A study analyzing the asylum claims from 2015-2018 of 619 Afghan converts to Christianity outlined serious shortcomings in the Swedish Migration Board's process. 68% of the converts were denied asylum on the grounds that their conversions were not deemed to be "genuine," despite all of them being baptized members of 76 churches in 64 locations across Sweden. The report noted that the Migration Board emphasized knowledge-based answers to questions and intellectual ability, rather than evidence of belief, religious practice, and involvement in church life.

Catholic Journalist Questioned by Police for Tweet

March 19, 2019, United Kingdom

Caroline Farrow, a Catholic journalist, was investigated under the "malicious communications act" after the founder of a transgender charity accused her of misgendering her daughter in a tweet. Farrow said it is her religious belief that a person cannot change sex.

Disappearance Of The Terms "Father" And "Mother" From The National Education Forms

February 12, 2019, France

On the 12th February, the National Assembly in France adopted the new usage of the terms "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" instead of "Mother" and "Father" to reflect diversity in the families. The idea of the new law is to embrace diversity in familiar settings. The deputy Jennifer de Temmerman called the traditional social and family models outdated. This law was criticized by the minister of Education, the deputy Xavier Breton and the movement Manif Pour Tous, calling it "politically correct but not real".

Christian Man Can't Use "Christ" or "Jesus" on License Plate

January 10, 2019, Sweden

The Swedish Transport Agency rejected blocked a Christian man’s request to use the word "Kristus" (Swedish for “Christ”) on his license plate, claiming the move could “cause offense” to those opposed to Christianity. When he asked to use the name “Jesus” instead, he was informed that word was blocked, too.

Shopping Mall Refused to Display Nativity but Advertised Christmas Market

December 5, 2018, United Kingdom

The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, Scotland refused requests from the Legion of St. Mary's Association to display a nativity scene in the mall, saying they "pride themselves on religious neutrality." Despite this official position, the mall heavily advertised a "Christmas Market."

UK Home Office Admits Reason for Underrepresentation of Christian Refugees

December 5, 2018, United Kingdom

Christian refugees from the Middle East are widely underrepresented in the United Kingdom. In 2017, 4,832 Syrians were accepted to the UK, however, only 11 were Christians. The Home Office has acknowledged that Christian refugees in the Middle East are “reluctant” to enter the UNHCR refugee camp system, but refuses to state this is because of persecution.

French Mayor Fights State Over Nativity Scene

December 4, 2018, France

For the second year in a row, Mayor Robert Ménard, former journalist for Reporters Without Borders, installed a nativity scene in the courtyard of the town hall of Béziers. The French government filed a complaint for its removal in the administrative court, claiming the installation violated the law of 1905 on the separation of Church and State.

Pro-Life Student Group Banned at University in Scotland

November 27, 2018, United Kingdom

The Aberdeen University Students' Association (Ausa) prevented the affiliation of the Aberdeen Life Ethics Society, a pro-life student group. This means that the group would not be recognized as an official club of the University and thus would not be eligible to receive any funding for their events. The Ausa has an explicit pro-choice policy supporting "free, safe and legal access to abortion." The Life Ethics Society challenged the ban and accused the Ausa of censorship.

Pro-Lifers Banned as University Group

November 22, 2018, United Kingdom

The group "Glasgow Students for Life" were banned from becoming an official group by the Student' Representative Council (SRC) at Glasgow University. As a result, the student group would not have access to funding, meeting rooms, or a stall at the freshers fair. The president of the SRC said the decision had been made because the aims of the society did not align with the values of the council. "Given the SRC’s campaigning on a number of related social issues over the years, including support for the recent Repeal the 8th campaign in Ireland, it would be contrary to our ethos to endorse a society which calls for limited rights for women."

Parents Threaten Action against School that Required Children to Participate in Gay Pride Parade

November 20, 2018, United Kingdom

In November, several parents of children who were required to participate in a "Proud to be me" pride parade at the Heavers Farm Primary School in South East London threatened legal action. Despite numerous complaints from parents, they were informed that no opt-outs would be allowed. Parents, including Izoduwa Adhedo, reported that they were treated dismissively and victimized following their complaints. "I wasn't even trying to stop the Pride event. I just wanted my child to receive an education, rather than indoctrination," Adhedo said.

British Government Denies Asia Bibi Asylum for Fear of Community Unrest

November 9, 2018, United Kingdom

Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row in Pakistan, was released from prison after the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned her sentence for “insulting the Prophet Mohammed.” Her acquittal led to unrest and riots among Pakistan's Muslim hardliners, prompting the government to try to prevent her from leaving the country. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, pleaded to the UK government: “I am requesting the Prime Minister of the UK help us and as far as possible grant us freedom.” The British government reportedly rejected this request for fear of civil unrest.

Christian Group Ordered to Pay for Extra Security at Oxford Event

October 29, 2018, United Kingdom

Oxford students voted to ban Christian Concern from hosting its Wilberforce Academy residential conference at Lady Margaret Hall, calling the group a “real threat to the physical and mental safety of students.” The college, however, said it would permit the group to use its facilities provided that it paid for extra security. A college spokesperson said that Christian Concern's "opposition to abortion, Islam and LGBTQ+" rights would lead to protests so it needed to pay "additional security costs."

Scottish Campaign calls Believers 'Bigots'

October 22, 2018, United Kingdom

An anti-hate crime campaign One Scotland, launched in September 2018 by the Scottish police and government, includes a poster directed toward religious believers which reads (in part), “Dear Bigots, you can’t spread your religious hatred here. End of sermon. Yours, Scotland.” Other posters in the campaign were directed toward 'transphobes' and 'homophobes.' Critics of the campaign have noted that it singles out religious believers and calls them bigots without any qualification, and it is based on a political ideology which discriminates against those who hold traditional views.

Finnish Foreign Minister Faced No-Confidence Vote over Pro-Life Views

September 21, 2018, Finland

Members of the Finnish Parliament voted 100–60 against a motion of no confidence brought against Catholic Foreign Minister Timo Soini on September 21st. Four opposition parties, the Green League, Left Alliance, Social Democrats and Swedish People’s Party, brought a motion of no confidence over Soini's attendance at pro-life vigil while on an official trip to Canada in May.

Neuroscience Professor Investigated for Telling Students Men and Women are Biologically Different

September 17, 2018, Sweden

Germund Hesslow, a neurophysiology professor at Lund University, is under investigation for "anti-feminism" and "transphobia" for telling his students there are biological differences between men and women.

Pro-Life Charity Banned from Three UK Universities

September 14, 2018, United Kingdom

Student Unions in Manchester, Warwick, and Liverpool rejected the Life charity's application to appear at their Freshers' Fairs. The Warwick Students' Union rejected Life because its members "voted to adopt a pro-choice stance." Manchester said the Fair was an inappropriate platform, while Liverpool said the charity would not offer "impartial advice" to students. Life said its displays inform students that help is available if they get pregnant. The charity filed a complaint to the Office for Students (OfS) citing discrimination and restrictions on freedom of speech. It noted that the Chair of OfS had earlier promoted the protection of freedom of speech.

Christian Sued Scouts after being Ousted over Islam Complaint; Settled Case

September 9, 2018, United Kingdom

A man from Bristol whose membership to the Scout Association was cancelled took legal action, claiming he has been discriminated against on account of his Christian faith.

Spanish TV Cuts Holy Mass Broadcasts

August 30, 2018, Spain

According to reports, RTVE, the Spanish national public radio and television service, will stop airing a weekly Sunday Mass, ending a tradition of almost 40 years. Although it is the most-watched program on the channel, the decision was explained by the government, which presented the proposal in March 2017, as necessary to become a "neutral" public television station that does not favor any belief or religion.

Belgian Minister of Culture calls for Ban on Religious Broadcasting after Bible Reading

August 26, 2018, Belgium

Verses from Paul's letter to the Ephesians were broadcast on radio and Flemish TV station VRT from a Catholic Mass in the town of Grimbergen. A lay reader quoted Ephesians 5 22-33: "Women, be submissive to your husband as the husband to the Lord. For the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the church." This sparked a row over whether religious broadcasting should be stopped and caused the Belgian Minister of Culture, Sven Gatz to tweet "No outdated, woman-unfriendly statements ... please. What if, for example, an imam would have said this?" He told the newspaper Het Nieuwsbald " The fact that they come from an old book is not an argument for letting them go to our people. This is not of this time, and that it is broadcast on the VRT for the whole of Flanders is already completely crazy."

At Least Five Pakistani Priests Denied Visas for World Meeting of Families in Ireland

August 19, 2018, Ireland

Christians from Pakistan and Iraq were denied visas to attend the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin, including at least 5 priests, due to "insufficient connections" to the event. A priest from Karachi received a letter rejecting his application in which the officer said there was "no evidence of a valid reason to travel to Ireland" and that the Catholic priest lacked "sufficient connection" to the World Meeting or to the Pope to justify attendance.

Vue Cinemas Breached Contract by Refusing to Screen 'Voices of the Silenced'

August 15, 2018, United Kingdom

After Vue Cinemas cancelled the screening of the film 'Voices of the Silenced' at the last minute in February, the film's producers launched a legal challenge against Vue. In August, Vue agreed to pay a nominal amount for breaching the contract. A spokesperson from Vue has said, however, that they stand by their decision of not screening the movie as it was "in direct conflict with its values." 'Voices of the Silenced' is a film by Christian organization Core Issues Trust about people who have left behind same-sex attraction practices.

Bus Company Pulls Adverts for Franklin Graham Event

July 12, 2018, United Kingdom

Bus ads promoting the September 2018 Franklin Graham "Lancashire Festival of Hope" at Winter Gardens Blackpool were pulled in response to criticism from LGBT communities. Graham, like many evangelicals, preaches the biblical definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Government Fired Doctor for View that Gender is Determined by Biology

July 8, 2018, United Kingdom

Dr David Mackereth was deemed "unfit" to work as an assessor at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over his refusal to use transgender patient's preferred pronouns because of his view that gender is defined by biology and that God made humans male and female. The Equality Act identifies those undergo or who propose to undergo gender reassignment as part of a protected class. Failure to use preferred pronouns is interpreted as unlawful discrimination.

High Court Upholds "Buffer Zones" around Abortion Clinic; Appeal Filed

July 2, 2018, United Kingdom

The High Court of England and Wales upheld a “buffer zone” imposed by Ealing Council, west London, around a Marie Stopes abortion clinic. High Court Judge Mark Turner said that Ealing Council in London was justified in creating a 328-foot exclusion zone to prevent any pro-life gathering or speech, including prayer, within 100 meters of the clinic. Two women plan to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

Ex-President of Ireland calls Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality 'Evil'

June 29, 2018, Ireland

Mary McAleese, the former President of Ireland said that, in her view, the Church's teaching on homosexuality is "evil" and leads to homophobia which has caused people to commit suicide and live in "dark shadows." She said that the behaviour of the church towards the LGBT community was "unchristian" and "worse than uncharitable" and that the only person to change this is the pope.

Coalition Withdraws CDU Candidate for Constitutional Court Due to Criticism of Sex Ed

June 29, 2018, Germany

Just days before the parliamentary vote on the election of a judge to the state constitutional court, the CDU, Greens, FDP and SSW withdrew their nomination of Hamburg lawyer and law professor Christian Winterhoff due to his conservative views on the sexual education of children.

1 in 10 Gay Christians Report Discrimination by other LGBT People

June 28, 2018, United Kingdom

A report by the LGBT-rights organization Stonewall found that nearly 1 in 10 gay Christians have experienced bullying from other LGBT people because of their faith.

Attack on Seven Iranian Christians in Greek Refugee Camp

June 24, 2018, Greece

On June 24th, in the middle of the night, a group of about 30-40 refugees attacked two Christian families along with another Christian man after they returned from a bible-reading. According to International Christian Consulate, "the attackers poured petrol over the cabin where they were meeting, and threatened to set it alight. They beat up the men and held knives to the throats of the two women and children, while telling them, ‘This is a Muslim camp. You have to leave’."

Spain Fined UK Christian Television Broadcaster

June 14, 2018, Spain

The National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) fined Revelation TV, which is based in the UK but broadcasts in Spain, €6,000 after an individual complained to the state agency about comments made by an evangelical pastor during a morning program in September 2017. The CNMC deemed the pastor's comments "homophobic" when he expressed his opinion about transgender issues and whether Christians should move their children from schools when another student identifies as transgender.

Bibles Removed from Hospital Rooms

June 3, 2018, United Kingdom

The Royal Infirmary of Dumfries and Galloway made the decision to remove Bibles from hospital rooms and social areas upon complaint that Christianity was given "preferential treatment".

British MPs Demand "Buffer Zones" Outside Abortion Facilities

June 1, 2018, United Kingdom

One hundred sixty-one members of the British Parliament are demanding that Home Secretary Sajid Javid act on a proposal to introduce exclusion or "buffer zones” around abortion facilities, which would ban pro-life prayer, protest, and counseling of women conflicted about abortion.