Ban on Faith-Based Pregnancy Conflict Counselling in Freiburg and Mannheim
In Freiburg, the Agency for Public Order restricted access around the entrance area of Pro Familia (an organisation which offers pregnancy conflict counseling including the option of abortion) for counsellors of the faith-based nonprofit association „Centre of Life - Helpers of God’s Precious Infants“ (Lebenszentrum - Helfer für Gottes kostbare Kinder e.V.) The aim of the associaton is to encourage and support expecting mothers in conflict to give birth to their child by offering differents kinds of support.
In June 2010 the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) has referred a similar case (ban on demonstrations and restricted access for pro-life activists in front of an abortionist’s clinic in Munich) back to the Higher regional Court (OLG) of First Instance to be revised for reconsideration and a new judgement (http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/rk20100608_1bvr174506.html) However the Administrative Court in Baden Wuerttemberg (VGH) does not abide by the jurisprudence of the BVerwG. In the targeting of women in conflict in front of an abortion clinic (side-walk councelling, „Gehsteigberatung“) the VGH sees a threat ot the womens’ privacy and rights. In the city of Freiburg therefore pro-life activists face a punishment of a fine of 250€. In Germany abortion continues to be an illegal action though not punished under certain circumstances. Not to be able to manifest one's convictions by peaceful demonstration or speaking to strangers on the street, is a violation of freedom of expression, which indirectly discriminates especially against Christians, as the issue is of particular concern not only but especially to Christians.Further reading:
Helpers of God’s Precious Infants: http://www.kostbare-kinder.de http://www.landgericht-mannheim.de/servlet/PB/menu/1269533/index.html?ROOT=1153033 http://www.alfa-ev.de/aktuelles/news-anzeige/article/alfa-newsletter-2311-vom-18062011/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=9&cHash=fd73e34544 http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/bundesverfassungsgericht-abtreibungsgegner-duerfen-demonstrieren-1.967382 http://www.kath.net/detail.php?id=30284http://www.badische-zeitung.de/freiburg/abtreibungsgegner-muessen-sich-von-pro-familia-fernhalten--41592375.html