All cases
Equality Act 2010 Causes Closure of Christian Businesses
May 21, 2013, United KingdomThe Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination on several grounds, including sexual orientation, in the area of the provision of goods and services. While there is a vital exemption to the general prohibition against discrimination for religious organisations when providing goods or services, this can only be relied upon in limited circumstances and is not wide enough to cover many situations.
(Northern Ireland) Printing Firm to be Sued for Refusing to Print Gay Magazine
April 5, 2013, United KingdomThe Christian owner of a printing firm in Northern Ireland faced being hauled to court over his refusal to print a gay magazine. Nick Williamson says printing the material would go against his religious beliefs. But the editor of MyGayZine, Danny Toner, approached a solicitor and referred the matter to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Christian Counsellors Freedom of Conscience Trumped by Rights of Homosexuals
January 15, 2013, United KingdomThe rights of homosexual couples trumped those of Christians, according to a ruling of the Employment Appeal Tribunal. The European Court of Human Rights dismissed the Christian applicant Gary McFarlane and left the balancing out of rights to national appreciation.
Registrar’s Wish Not to Register Homosexual Unions Rejected
January 15, 2013, United KingdomLillian Ladele, a Christian registrar, was disciplined because of her stance on civil partnerships. The European Court of Human Rights dismissed Ladele’s application on January 15th, 2013 and left the balancing out of rights to the national authorities.
New Legislation on Gay Marriage Might Get Teachers Fired
November 18, 2012, United KingdomThe British Parliamentary Undersecretary of State, Liz Truss, states she was not able to rule out the possibility that teachers refusing to use stories or textbooks favoring same sex- marriage face disciplinary consequences.
Christian B&B Owners Fined for Denying a Room to a Homosexual Couple
October 22, 2012, United KingdomChristian bed and breakfast owners Mike and Susanne Wilkinson lost a lawsuit on their married-couples-only policy and were fined over 3.500 pounds for denying a double room to a homosexual couple. The Wilkinson's Bed&Breakfast is located in their own house where they live with their children. The courts apply a "zero tolerance" policy on grounds of "unlawful discrimination".
Pharmacists' Freedom of Conscience Uncertain
September 19, 2012, GermanyWhile the law does not protect the freedom of conscience for German pharmacists, a letter from the ministry, dated 1986 upholds it. Legally, the letter is not binding. The uncertainty of whether this letter would be followed by today’s courts constitutes a difficulty in the ethical considerations and the freedom of acting according to one’s conscience of pharmacists in Germany.
Teachers and Others Threatened With Dismissal if They Didn’t Endorse Gay Marriage
September 12, 2012, United KingdomIf gay marriage is legalized, teachers and others could be forced out of their jobs if they fail to endorse such unions, a top lawyer says. Parents would have no right to insist that their children are withdrawn from school lessons across the curriculum that approve of same-sex marriage. Chaplains who work in the NHS or the Armed Forces could be dismissed if they preach that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Party Proposes Explicit Ban of Conscientious Objection for Registrars with regard to Gay Marriage
July 4, 2012, NetherlandsThe liberal party VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie) tabled a proposal in the second chamber of the parliament to prohibit the use of conscientious objection for registrars with regard to conducting gay marriages. There seems to be a majority in the parliament to support this proposal. The topic is expected to be debated until the end of the year 2012.
Legislative Proposal Seeks to Limit Conscientious Objection for Registrars
July 4, 2012, NetherlandsOn the 4th of July 2012 an amendment of the law on public officers was proposed by the members Koser Kaya and Van Hijum to the Dutch Parliament: It calls for the dismissal of registrars for marriages, births and deaths who refuse to perform same-sex marriages on conscientious grounds - if not sufficient other tasks could be found for him or her. The proposal also seeks to establish a mandatory training of students studying to be a registrar on performing same-sex marriages.
Danish Church Obliged to Perform Same Sex ‘Marriages’
June 15, 2012, DenmarkThe Evangelical Lutheran Church is forced to marry same sex couples after vote of Danish Parliament.
Conscientious Objection Loses Ground
May 24, 2012, FranceMedical Student, Carolin, 24: “I had to do an internship in a gynecology department, and I can tell you that when there is only one nurse for the whole department, you better forget about your conscientious objection.”
(Scotland) No Right to Conscientious Objection for Midwives
February 29, 2012, United KingdomIn January 2012, Scotland's largest health board was taken to court by two Catholic nurses from Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, Mary Doogan and Connie Wood, who were denied conscientious objection with regard to abortion procedures. Judgment was handed down on February 29th: the midwives have been told that they must accept the decision of their hospital management and that they must oversee other midwives performing abortions. In January 2013, they took the case to the European Court of Human Rights. The UK supreme court upheld the judgement in December 2014.
Pharmacists' Objection of Conscience Still Curtailed
February 29, 2012, Czech RepublicAn improvement of the national health service law in February 2012 did not fully grant conscientious objection to pharmacists: The law still compels the objecting pharmacists to find a willing employee of the same pharmacy or another pharmacist to sell the "morning-after-pill".
Spanish Bioethicist Calls for Black-List of Conscientious Objectors
February 13, 2012, SpainMaria Casado, who holds the UNESCO Chair of Bioethics at the University of Barcelona calls for a national registry of doctors who will not perform abortions, in order to “improve” women’s access to “pregnancy termination.”
Roman Catholic Firemen Disciplined for Refusal to Attend Rally Which Mocked their Faith
January 21, 2012, United KingdomA group of nine firemen from Glasgow, including several Roman Catholics, were disciplined by their employers for refusing to march in a ‘gay pride’ rally. Strathclyde Fire Board apologized after legal steps were taken.
Mayor Who Criticised Halloween Punished
January 11, 2012, United KingdomA church-going former mayor in Warwickshire who declined to take part in a Halloween event has been found in breach of equality rules for upsetting pagans.
No Conscientious Objection for Pharmacists Selling Abortion Pill
January 10, 2012, FranceFrench pharmacists are required by law to sell the „morning after pill“ which causes an early abortion. The absence of conscientious objection is a violation of freedom of religion and conscience.
"Occupy Rome" Activists Destroyed Sacred Icons During Demonstration
October 15, 2011, ItalyA group of youth who were marching as part of the anti-capitalist movement "Occupy Rome", detoured from the main stream of the parade, and made their way into Saints Marcellino and Pietro Parish, located between Labicana and Merulana streets. The youth, with their heads covered and handing sticks, broke into the parish house and took the statue of the Immaculate Conception and a crucifix. They carried the sacred icons outside the parish premises to the street, where both were destroyed and the debriefs left on the street.
Ongoing Outside Pressure on Ireland to Legalize Abortion
October 11, 2011, InternationalAt a UN meeting, delegates from Britain, Denmark, Spain and other countries called for Ireland to legalize abortion - with Denmark calling for legislation to allow for abortion on demand, constituting pressure seeking to undermine the Christian convictions of the majority of the Irish population.