All cases
Pensioner Dismissed from Red Cross After Protesting Same-sex Marriage
November 1, 2014, United Kingdom71-years-old Bryan Barkley was dismissed from the British Red Cross after his one-man protest in front of his church holding a placard saying “No same sex marriage” and “No redefinition of marriage”. His views were found incompatible with the principles of impartiality and neutrality of Red Cross.
Marriage Registrar Dismissed for Refusing to Perform Same-sex Ceremony But Subsequently Reinstated
September 1, 2014, United KingdomA Christian registrar was dismissed for indicating she would not be willing to perform same-sex marriages. Finally, she was reinstated after a successful appeal in which it was ruled that her employer had failed to take a “balanced view” of her religious beliefs.
Doctor Fired in Abortion Incident for Refusal to Perform or Refer
July 8, 2014, PolandA Polish doctor was fired from his position as the director of Holy Family Hospital in Warsaw for refusing to perform an abortion on grounds of his conscience and for not referring the mother to a doctor who would do it. Dr. Chazan was dismissed by the mayor of Warsaw, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz.
US Teacher Documents 300 Cases of Anti-Christian Acts by Gay Activists
July 1, 2014, InternationalRobert Oscar Lopez, a teacher for Literature and Classics in Los Angeles, documented 300 cases of overboarding responses of gay activists to opponents. These incidents mainly took place in Europe and the US. Some are directed against Christians, others are more of a political nature. Some cases might seem self-inflicted, many do not.
Christian Conscientious Objectors to Morning-After-Pill Barred from Sexual Health Care Diploma
May 1, 2014, United KingdomBritish doctors and nurses who refuse to dispense the morning-after pill on grounds of conscience will be unable to receive a specialist diploma in sexual health care. Guidance issued by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare states that medical professionals who, for religious reasons, refuse to hand out "emergency" contraception cannot receive the qualification. The diploma is considered to represent the "gold standard" of sexual health care training.
Christian Worker in London Claims She was Fired for Refusing to Read Children’s Books About Gay Couples
April 30, 2014, United KingdomSarah Mbuyi, 30 year-old nursery worker from north London will bring her case to court as she claims she was fired on the grounds of her religious beliefs because she said that she would have scruples about reading children’s stories involving same-sex couples.
Swedish Nurse Fired for Refusing to Assist in Abortion
April 10, 2014, SwedenIn January 2014 a Swedish nurse has filed a complaint of religious discrimination with Sweden’s equality commission after the hospital where she interned as a midwife sacked her for refusing to assist in abortions. The Ombudsperson for Discrimination concluded that Mrs Grimmark has not been discriminated because her conscientious objection stood against the ”availability of abortion care” and the ”protection of health” of patients requiring abortion.
Criminal Investigations Opened Against Cardinal For Mentioning Treatment Options for Homosexuals
February 5, 2014, SpainCardinal Fernando Sebastian of Málaga commented in an interview with the local newspaper SUR that homosexuality “can be normalised with treatment”. Consequently the Málaga Provincial Prosecutor's Office opened criminal investigations against him. His comment was understood to undermine Spanish legislation which protects the fundamental rights of dignity and non-discrimination in Articles 18 and 14 of the Constitution and therefore to constitute a "clear incitement to hatred and discrimination".
Midwife Lost Job Because of Her Views on Abortion
January 13, 2014, SwedenA Swedish midwife did not get a job she was promised because of her “wrong view” regarding abortion. The woman who worked at Highland Hospital in Eksjoe was promised summer jobs and other temporary positions after completing further training in January 2014. However, after explaining to the department manager that she was not able to perform abortions because of her faith, she was told she was no longer welcome to take the jobs.
Government Says No Opt Out Of Performing Abortions for Faith-Based Hospitals
August 12, 2013, IrelandThe Irish government has told a Catholic hospital that there will be no opting out of the new law legalising abortion, and which requires hospitals to do the procedure. The health minister was responding to comments by a board member of Dublin’s Mater Misericordiae University Hospital that the hospital would not be complying with the new abortion law.
British Gay Couple to Legally Challenge Church for Not Offering Gay Marriage
August 2, 2013, United KingdomA British homosexual couple feels „forced to take Christians into a court to get them to recognise” them. The Marriage Act contains legal provisions to protect churches which chose not to conduct same-sex weddings from being sued.
European Affairs Minister Forced to Resign
July 11, 2013, IrelandLucinda Creighton, European Affairs Minister of Ireland had to resign after voting against the Government on an amendment to the abortion bill. The so-called “whip” does not permit to deviate from party policy. Mrs. Creighton however felt that she could not compromise on matters of “life and death”.
Gathering Disturbed by Insults and Shouting in Montpellier
June 13, 2013, FranceA gathering of “Les Veilleurs”, a peaceful manifestation group in favour of the traditional family of was disturbed by shouting from students and radical LGBT activists. Anti-Catholic insults were yelled as “Les Veilleurs” gathered to pray and sing together as they do every Tuesday evening before the prefecture in Montpellier.
Doctors are Denied the Right to Conscientious Objection
June 4, 2013, NorwayMedical doctors in Norway must be willing to refer their patients to abortion clinics even if this is against their conscience.
Conscientious Objection Undermined in Ireland's Proposed Abortion Law
June 1, 2013, IrelandThe Irish Cabinet has reached a consensus on the draft of the "Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013". The law prohibits objections on the basis of one’s conscience: “no institution, organisation or third party shall refuse to provide a lawful termination of pregnancy to a woman on grounds of conscientious objection”. Apart from this clause, the law that will regulate abortion in Ireland is rather restrictive compared to the legislation concerning abortion of other European countries.
Pharmacists Do Not Enjoy an Explicit Right to Conscientious Objection
May 21, 2013, AustriaIn Austria, pharmacists do not enjoy an explicit right to conscientious objection. The so called “morning after pill” may be obtained either by prescription or in case of emergency without a prescription. Besides other functions, the taking of the morning after pill may result in an early abortion. The Austrian criminal code contains a conscience clause for medical staff with regard to abortion. But for pharmacists there is no such clause. It is therefore unclear, whether pharmacists have a right to conscientious objection or not. The professional representation of pharmacists says there isn’t. This body argues that there is a legal obligation to contract; and that not delivering would be an act of non-assistance to a person in danger. Therefore, pharmacists or employees of pharmacies do not dare to withhold the abortifacient drug for conscientious reasons. It is necessary to introduce a law in Austria which explicitly recognises the freedom of conscience of pharmacists.
Duty of Referral Creates Conscience Dilemma for Pharmacists
May 21, 2013, BelgiumIn 2007, a law was passed requiring a pharmacist to sell any type of legal drugs. This position was modified in a pharmaceutical law on the 15th of October 2010. Article 32 now states that without prejudice of the rights of the patient, the continuity of the caring and the execution of the order, the pharmacist has the right to refuse delivery according to his conscience and refer the client immediately to another pharmacist, where the drug will be available, otherwise he needs to deliver the drug himself. Even though these changes constitute an improvement, the duty to refer to someone else who will make the objectionable drug available, is problematic to the objector.
Registrars and Wedding Place Owners Not Allowed to Opt Out of Gay Civil Ceremonies
May 21, 2013, BelgiumRegistrars of birth, marriages and deaths are not entitled to refer to their conscience to refuse to register a gay marriage as a civil act. Owners of wedding locations cannot opt out of facilitating gay marriages in their places.
Pharmacists Conscientious Objection Limited
May 21, 2013, Czech RepublicAs of November 2011 the so-called “emergency pill” no longer needed a prescription making Postinor-2 and Escapelle available for women over the age of 16. The Czech Pharmaceutics Chamber published a “recommended policy” discussing the ethical view on the issue: “Due to the pill’s effects, some pharmacist might have personal reservations to sell it. Those pharmacists whose consciences do not allow to sell abortifacients can deny selling the pill only in such situation when there is not a problem for the buyer to get the pill from another pharmacist. If there is no possibility for the buyer to purchase the pill from another pharmacist in reasonable time and distance, the pharmacist is obliged to sell the pill no matter what his conscience requires.” A group of pharmacists signed a petition against this restriction of their freedom of conscience.
Conscientious Objection Impeded for French Medical Doctors and Students
May 21, 2013, FranceThe French law says: “A doctor is never required to perform an abortion (...). No midwife, nurse or physician assistant, whoever he is, can be forced to participate in an abortion.” But the reality is different: the organisation of the hospitals, the lack of staff, the schedules of the surgery departments and the pressure on the medical staff make a refusal on the grounds of freedom of conscience difficult.