All cases
Vienna Court: Prayer Vigil Outside Abortion Facilities Permitted
January 23, 2026, AustriaIn January 2026, the Vienna Administrative Court ruled that a peaceful prayer vigil held in the proximity of an abortion facility in Vienna falls within the scope of the constitutionally protected freedom of assembly. The decision overturned an earlier prohibition issued by the Vienna police authorities.
UK Police Ban Christian March Over Fear of Muslim Community Reaction
January 23, 2026, United KingdomThe Metropolitan Police blocked a UK Independence Party “Walk With Jesus” march scheduled for 31 January in Whitechapel, east London, citing fears it would provoke a hostile reaction from the local Muslim community and lead to “serious violence and disorder.”
UPDATE: Woman criminally charged for silent prayer
December 17, 2025, United KingdomBritish charitable volunteer Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has been criminally charged in Birmingham under the UK’s new national abortion “buffer zone” law for silently praying near an abortion facility, with her trial scheduled for 29 January 2026. This is the first known prosecution under the Public Order Act 2023, highlighting tensions between public-order regulations and freedom of conscience.
Estonia’s Actions Threaten Religious Freedom, Warn UN Experts
December 15, 2025, EstoniaUN human rights experts have raised alarm over legislative and administrative measures in Estonia that target the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC). They warned that these actions—ranging from legal amendments to restrictive treatment of clergy—could disproportionately limit religious freedom.
Prayer Outside Abortion Clinic Protected by Law, Spanish Court Rules
December 9, 2025, SpainA criminal court in Vitoria, Basque Country, has acquitted 21 pro‑life volunteers accused of harassment for praying peacefully outside an abortion clinic, ruling that they had “done nothing more than exercise their free right of assembly” and behaved in an “exquisitely peaceful manner.” The court found no evidence of intimidating conduct under the penal code’s anti‑harassment provision.
Bavarian Court Upholds Right to Peaceful Prayer in Public
September 23, 2025, GermanyIn a landmark decision, the Bavarian Higher Administrative Court has ruled that there is no general 100-metre exclusion zone (“Bannmeile”) around medical practices that could prohibit peaceful prayer or assembly. The court rejected a ban of the city of Regensburg against a prayer gathering of a Christian group near an abortion facility, arguing that there was no evidence whatsoever that the group’s behaviour had caused any form of harassment or intimidation.
New Law on Religious Leadership Risks Criminalising Religious Practice
June 18, 2025, RomaniaIn June 2025, the Romanian Parliament adopted a legislative amendment to the country’s Law on Religious Communities, criminalising the “unauthorised exercise” of clerical or priestly functions. The new provision effectively grants the state and officially recognised religious denominations exclusive authority to determine who may lead religious communities. The amendment raises serious concerns regarding the protection of religious freedom.
Retired pastor faces trial for public worship service near abortion clinic
March 21, 2025, United KingdomClive Johnston, a retired pastor in Northern Ireland is facing trial for holding an open-air Christian service near an abortion clinic, raising serious concerns about the impact of so-called ‘buffer zone’ laws on religious freedom and freedom of expression.
Christian prayer leader first charged under Scotland's buffer zone law
February 19, 2025, United KingdomRose Docherty, a 74-year-old Christian and leader of the pro-life prayer group "40 Days for Life", has become the first person to be arrested under Scotland's new abortion 'buffer zone' law for holding a silent vigil near a Glasgow hospital. The law, which criminalises any attempt to 'influence' abortion decisions within 200 metres of a facility, raises fundamental rights concerns. Pro-life groups plan to hold upcoming prayer vigils only outside the buffer zones, but politicians are already pushing for further extensions of the zones.
"Low-status" prisoners in Belarus banned from religious practice
January 16, 2025, BelarusIn a growing assault on religious freedom, several prisoners in Belarus are being denied any contact with religious services or members of the clergy because they are considered 'low status'. The ban even prevents them from possessing religious literature or devotional objects.
UPDATE: £7,500 PROSECUTION COSTS FOR HOLDING BIBLE VERSE SIGN
January 15, 2025, United KingdomOn 15 January 2025, the Crown Court rejected Stephen Green's appeals and confirmed his guilty verdict. The Christian preacher will now have to pay more than £7,500 in fines and prosecution costs for silently holding a Bible verse.
Pastor and Christian community offered protection by police
December 12, 2024, GermanyProtestant pastor Ralf Sedlak has been the target of several threats and attacks following a sermon criticising the Hamas attack on Israel in October. The police are now being called in to protect him and his family, as well as to provide security for church services as all members of the congregation face hostility.
New UK Buffer Zone Bill restricts silent prayer near abortion clinics
October 31, 2024, United KingdomOn 31 October 2024, Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 (POA) came into force, introducing new restrictions on freedom of expression and religion within the so-called 'buffer zones' around abortion clinics in England and Wales.
UPDATE: Ireland's "buffer zone" law comes into force
October 10, 2024, IrelandIn October 2024, Ireland implemented a "buffer zone" law that prohibits any conduct that could "influence" abortion decisions within 100 metres of clinics. The law also restricts speech on private property near public areas, raising concerns about restrictions on religious freedom.
NI Court Prosecutes Man and Woman for Praying in Coleraine "Buffer Zone"
July 30, 2024, United KingdomIn Northern Ireland, a court is set to rule on the case of a woman and a man who were arrested for praying inside an abortion "buffer zone" in October 2023. If found guilty in the current hearing, the woman who pleaded not guilty faces up to six months in prison. The police arrested them without any prior complaints about their presence on the street.
SCOTLAND: MOST EXTREME BUFFER ZONE LAW COMES INTO FORCE
July 25, 2024, United KingdomOn 22 July 2024, Scotland's highly restrictive abortion 'buffer zone' law came into force, creating a 200-metre zone around abortion facilities where it will be an offence to 'influence' the decision of anyone entering the facility. Offences include acts committed on private property if the act “is capable of being seen or heard by another person who is within the safe access zone“.
Evangelical church in Rome refused tax exemption, ECtHR dismisses case
June 20, 2024, ItalyAs reported on June 20, the Supreme Court of Italy has ruled between Breccia di Roma, an evangelical church, and the Italian tax authorities. The authorities had refused to give the Breccia di Roma Church tax-exemption under Italian law, available to all religious places of worship, on the grounds that its premises lacked the “intrinsic characteristics” of a religious building. The Supreme Court backed the decision by the tax authorities. An appeal at the European Court of Human Rights has been dismissed. The case raises massive concerns about discrimination of evangelical churches in Italy.
Public prayer gathering attacked in Zagreb
May 4, 2024, CroatiaA monthly public rosary prayer in the main square of Zagreb and 12 other public places in Croatia has been repeatedly attacked by activists from the radical left. Since the politically inactive men have started gathering for rosary prayers in January 2023, aggressive political activists have started demonstrating against them, claiming that the peaceful prayer of the men would "limit women's rights".
Brussels authorities ban event due to “ethically conservative” beliefs on abortion, marriage, and the EU
April 16, 2024, BelgiumOn April 16, Brussels officials issued a police order to ban the entrance to the NatCon conference. The official order to shut down the conference included the reason that its "vision is not only ethically conservative (e.g. hostility to the legalisation of abortion, same-sex unions, etc.) but also focused on the defence of “national sovereignty”, which implies, amongst other things, a “Eurosceptic” attitude”. In an emergency ruling, Belgium highest court has lifted the ban and declared it unconstitutional.
Threats for christians on easter persist
March 28, 2024, FranceFrance is placing police officers in front of Christian churches during Easter. In response to the recent attack in Moscow, the French police have issued a warning of an elevated risk of terrorism. As a precautionary measure, police officers will be stationed outside every Christian church during the Easter period.